The Spiraling Crystal
by RoseDragonWitch
Summary: With the end of the Ultima Weapon and having recently earned the title of a hero, the Warrior of Light is contemplating taking a rest from her new fame. But duty ever calls. For she is suddenly called away to an excavation of the Crystal Tower and learn the secrets that live inside it. Not yet realizing just how closely her destiny will be tied to this ancient pillar of crystal.
1. Legacy of Allag

**The Spiraling Crystal**

With the end of the Ultima Weapon and having recently earned the title of a hero, our new Warrior of Light is contemplating taking a rest from her new fame. But duty ever calls. For she is suddenly called away to an excavation of the Crystal Tower and learn the secrets that live inside it. Not yet realizing just how closely her destiny will be tied to this ancient pillar of sparkling rock.

**_This is the latest side story to: Before the Rebirth of a Realm, Eyes Ever Heavensward, and Hells Open Heavens Weep. Takes place just after A Realm Reborn and before Heavensward! If you haven't read the other stories yet, or played through the Crystal Tower quests, you might want to before reading this._**

**_Also not read if you are playing Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers or have plans to. I will be using my own character, Claire Faye, in the story to stand in as the Warrior of Light, but feel free to think of your own characters. Here is a list of things that will be in this story: _**

**_Major Game Spoilers for Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, Heavenward, Stormblood, and Shadowbringers._**

**_Minor G'raha Tia/Warrior of Light Shipping (One sided)_**

**_Different POV of different characters_**

**_Death, Violence, etc._**

**_I do not own any copyright, am doing this purely for entertainment…_**

**_And if there are any special requests or suggestions that you would like to see happen here, please message me and let me know. Thank you all for taking the time to read this and let me know what you think._**

**Chapter 1: Legacy of Allag**

One would think that she would be able to rest after all that had happened to her lately. One would think that she could use this time to rest and recover from the last battle with the Ultima Weapon. Truthfully, she wanted to take a few days to herself and be able to enjoy herself. However, if there was one thing that she learned was that if she was left on her own with nothing to do, she would grow both bored and irritable. Besides, she rarely got the chance to take the time to explore more of Mor Dhona, why not use this opportunity while she had the free time?

So, slipping away from the Waking, glad that everyone else seemed to be taking it easy for the time being, she ventured out her steps taking her north until she reached the small but thriving town. As she wandered through the streets, she could see every race already out and about in the streets, dressed in all manner of clothes from heavy metal armor, leather bindings, and the flowing robes that swept across the cobblestone streets. She could not hear her own thoughts thanks to the noise that sprang up around her as a near overwhelming song almost knocked her over.

She spent a great deal of time wandering the market stalls that were covered with brightly colored tarps, where she looked over everything the vendors had to sell. She glanced over them with curiosity as she looked over the interesting bits and bobs—some of whom she didn't even know what to call—before she returned to the town square, wondering where she should go next this day.

As she was contemplating her next move, she heard someone speak out.

"Do I know you?"

She paused at that and looked around, wondering who had spoken and if it was to her. That was when she spotted a man wearing a partial mask over his face, and seemed to be looking over a strange contraption strapped to his wrist. She blinked when she saw the man tuck the device away into a pocket as he looked over her. She did the same thing, trying to remember if she had seen this man before… he was dressed in a similar way that the Alchemists in Ul'dah usually wore… only his were much more worn and dirty compared to their pure white coats. He certainly looked like a man who was used to travelling around, and the way he was looking at her through the empty eyeholes of his mask left little doubt that he was speaking to her.

"...Ah! Unless I am very much mistaken, you are the famed adventurer who bested the Garlean Empire's general, are you not? The great Claire Faye herself!" he said, looking at her with great interest, as if she were something on display. She felt herself growing more and more uncomfortable the more he stared. It was bad enough that her name and face was well known over Eorzea at this point, but that didn't mean she liked it any better. If anything, she could feel stabs of irritation beginning to take root.

The outlandish man, however, did not seem to realize this fact as he said eagerly, "Amazing—and more than a little serendipitous. One might even call it fate. I but recently received word of a truly unique opportunity, you see—an opportunity the like of which none but one of your proven worth could take advantage. The reward? Naught less than the accumulated knowledge of a fallen civilization. The risk? A single misstep could cost you your life."

Claire arched an eyebrow, wondering what this man had been drinking for him to be speaking in riddles like this.

"Whatever you're selling…" she warned, but the man didn't seem to hear her as he went on speaking.

"But what is a little danger to a storied hero such as you?" he asked, "A woman with absolute confidence in her own abilities stands to profit handsomely from this venture. No, no, I crave no recompense for my part in bringing this opportunity to your attention—the historic discoveries you shall make will be reward enough, I assure you. If my words have fanned the flames of your curiosity, then I bid you seek a man by the name of Rammbroes at Saint Coinach's Find. It is he who stands at the doorway to untold marvels, awaiting the arrival of a champion bold enough to march across the threshold. It is Saint Coinach's Find to which you must travel. Seek out the man known as Rammbroes, and learn what treasures—and dangers—await you."

She wanted to tell him that she wasn't interested, but the way that he spoke about this venture… she had to confess, she was more than a little curious. Well, so long as she wasn't asked to save all of Eorzea again, she supposed she could at least go and see what this was all about? If nothing else, she was given a good excuse to get away from this stranger. So, her adventurous nature leading the way, she headed out of Revenant's Toll and began to make her way across the crystalline landscape. She stepped sharply over the sparkling ground as she made her way south east, to where she could see the image of a tower made of solid crystal reaching so high that it looked as if it were trying to pierce the heavens. She remembered seeing it when she first arrived in Mor Dhona, but knew precious little about it.

From what the locals have told her, this was some sort of ancient relic left behind and buried… having only recently remerged from the last Calamity. When the land had all but turned inside out by Bahamut's destruction.

After walking on a little further south, she ended coming to the very heart of a small encampment where she could see all manner of people and scholars seeing up equipment's and making a series of notes. She had known that these scholars were here for a while, but with so much happening in her life lately, what with recusing the Scions who were being held inside the Castrum, to rushing off immediately afterwards to see Operation Archon through to its completion… as well as the fact that the Scions were now preparing to finish packing and moving all of their belongings from the Waking Sands to their new headquarters… she never had a chance to really get down to some serious exploration until now.

Well, she wondered what everyone was up to here?

After looking about, she ran into Rammbroes, whom had been so kind to help her while she was still struggling under the pressure of learning the ancient art of the summoner. Thanks to him and his cohorts, she was able to earn the relics of the summoner, which she still proudly wore to this day.

"Why, if it isn't Claire Faye herself!" Rammbroes said joyfully when he looked up and saw her walking towards him, "I was not expecting such a celebrated guest. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

"I was directed here by a strange man in stranger clothes," she explained, stepping over a large piece of broken crystal as she stopped in front of him. "I was wondering what it was about and if you needed an extra hand?"

At her words, she could see how surprised that Rammbroes looked and said, "You were directed here, you say? By a man clad in foreign garb? Well, the opportunity he spoke of must surely refer to our latest anthropogeographical endeavor. Quite how he came to know of it is another matter. All knowledge of this project was supposed to be restricted to my organization..."

This surprised her, for she had thought that man had been part of this venture and that he was only trying to find those who had nothing better to do with their time than run headlong into danger.

"But that is something for me to ponder in private," Rammbroes said, shaking is large head a little as if to clear the cobwebs and gave a winning smile instead. "You are here now, and your services will, I am certain, prove invaluable. I must warn you, however, that the venture we have in mind is no simple excavation—an unprepared or incautious adventurer could very well find himself on an unplanned and unpleasant journey to Thal's solemn halls. Knowing this, do you still wish to lend us your cooperation?"

The chance to go running into a dangerous environment with a good chance she may never walk out alive? How could a girl refuse such an offer?

She grinned and he laughed as he confessed, "I rather thought you would say that. Your courage is scarcely a secret. Now, the first—"

"Claire!?" said another voice, but this one strangely familiar at the same time. And sure enough, as she looked up, she saw Cid Garlond of all people, waving over at her, a big grin on his face in the process as he jogged to her.

"Cid?" she said in surprise.

"I thought it was you! What brings you to Saint Coinach's?" he asked conversationally, at least until the grin faded slightly and he asked, a little more serious than before, "Don't tell me—the Alliance has sent you on another realm-shaking, history-making mission to lay low an apparently insuperable foe, yes? No?"

"Ah, I see you two are already acquainted," Rammbroes said, interrupting them before she had a chance to explain, "That is well. Master Garlond, our intrepid hero here caught wind of the forthcoming expedition, and has kindly pledged to assist us."

At that news, she could see the relief flicker across his face.

"She has, has she?" Cid asked, who was looking cheerful once again, "Glad to have you aboard, Claire! You...don't have the faintest idea what you've volunteered for, do you?"

She chuckled and shook her head, shrugging in the process as he burst out laughing.

"Very well, let us begin at the beginning," he said, slightly scolding, as if a parent who was explaining something to an overeager child when asking to help.

"The Sons of Saint Coinach are tasked with unearthing the secrets of the long-fallen Allagan Empire, and this present endeavor aims to delve more deeply into the civilization's mysteries than ever before..." he began. She tilted her head, a little confused. She had heard of the Allagan Empire before, of course, but knew precious little else about them. Something that seemed to show on her face.

"Ah, but I know that look," he said, "In the event that you feel ill equipped to contribute much on the subject of Allagan archaeology, I invite you to recall your encounter with the Ultima Weapon. That mechanical monstrosity represented a feat of engineering far beyond aught Garlemald can presently achieve—Nero tol Scaeva simply awoke it."

She felt an odd tremor of dislike going through her body at the mention of that accursed weapon. She could still taste the ash on her tongue, and smell the burning metal from where the thing unleashed so much devastation. Not memories that she would like to recall, truth be told.

"I mention this by way of a reminder that you have had what one might term... extensive firsthand experience with a notable Allagan relic," Cid reassured her, as if he knew exactly how she felt. "In short, you're practically an archaeologist."

Truly? Huh, interesting way to look about it. Though, if she had to be honest with herself, she made a poor excuse for an archaeologist due to the fact her first 'find' she made sure that it never worked again. She had to hide the grin at that as she listened to Cid continue on with his explanation.

"Now, to the core of the matter: here in Mor Dhona, there stands an entire Allagan structure which we have yet to investigate. I speak, of course, of the Crystal Tower," he said and her eyes lit up at the mention of the tower. She looked over his shoulder to the sparkling tower and felt excitement rise inside her at the thought of being allowed to get closer and even have a chance to explore the inside?!

"After witnessing the destructive capabilities of the Ultima Weapon, and the lesser moon, Dalamud, before it, it seems wise to treat any remnants from that era with the utmost caution," Cid then said, "They must be analyzed, monitored, and—above all—kept from falling into the wrong hands."

Well, when you put it like that, you can't really blame them for being cautious? Truthfully, she would be happy never to have to face such monstrosities again.

"To put it plain: I have no wish to see another megalomaniacal legatus wield one of those weapons," Cid summed up for her. "It was this thought which first moved me to contact the Sons and propose that the tower be explored. For several millennia, the Crystal Tower remained hidden, buried deep underground. But, like so many other things that were better left undisturbed, the structure was freed from its stony prison by the great upheaval which accompanied the coming of the Seventh Umbral Era."

They then all turned at once to see the spectacular tower continuing to gleam in the bright light, as beautiful as a diamond.

"It now stands revealed in all its splendor, a gleaming spear of crystal, pointed at the bosom of the heavens," Cid said with an air of admiration. "We believe the tower to be the repository of much of the ancients' wisdom. Unfortunately, its entrance is guarded by formidable defenses, and we cannot so much as peep through the keyhole, much less set foot inside."

"What sort of defenses?" she asked curiously as he sighed and told her of the statues that stood at the base of the tower. Eight of them in all, carved with the images of giant swordsmen and how they seem to be creating a barrier that they need to get through before they go any further. The Eight Sentinels as they are being called.

"But why not take the Enterprise and fly over them?" Claire asked curiously.

"Why not simply fly over them in an airship, you ask? It's been tried before: any vessel that ventures too close to the tower is blasted out of the air," Cid confessed, "We either destroy those statues, or the front door is forever beyond our reach."

Ok, that was one way to let people know they weren't welcomed. These Ancients weren't playing around, were they? Still, surely they had to have a way to reach the tower themselves right?

"My colleagues and I are ill suited to negotiating such deadly hazards," Rammbroes added on, "Thus, if we are to gain access to the tower's secrets, we must needs employ the services of an experienced adventurer. It will be difficult and dangerous, Claire, but I can think of no finer woman for the task."

Well, after such a tempting offer, how could she turn that down? She nodded, punching her fists together, her heart already beginning to beat faster at the thought of a new place to explore. At that, Cid broke out laughing.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you had a taste for these deadly escapades!" he grinned at her approvingly, "I look forward to working with you again."

"So… what do we do first?" she asked curiously.

"There is much and more to be done before we can begin the expedition proper," Rammbroes explained, getting down to business, "Take some time to prepare yourself, and I shall explain the challenges that lie ahead... Our first objective is to reach the entrance to the Crystal Tower. As I previously mentioned, however, that will prove no easy task. The entrance is guarded by powerful defense mechanisms, each utilizing one of the four elements of fire, water, wind, or earth. Anyone attempting to simply stroll past these unsleeping sentinels invites swift obliteration. Based on Master Garlond's analyses, however, we are reasonably certain that the attacks of these lethal contraptions can be reflected using a crystal of the corresponding element."

So… more crystals then? Why did it feel like all their problems started with, but could also be solved with, crystals?

"Naturally, these crystals must be of surpassing clarity, free of the slightest impurities—much like the flawless specimens used by the beastmen in their primal-summoning rituals," Rammbroes stated reasonably before he cleared his throat and added, "Mayhap I should have said "exactly like" the specimens they use..."

Oh, she really hoped that she wasn't going to be asked to do what she thought they were going to ask… but sure enough, with a sigh, Rammbroes confessed that they needed her to sneak into the beast tribe strongholds and free up some of their crystals.

Well, this sure wasn't what she was expecting to do with her day. But she went off anyway, her curiosity greater in exploring the Crystal Tower more so than any dread of sneaking into a Beast Tribe's home and making off with some of their crystals. So, her first stop was La Noscea, where she slipped into the Sapsa Spawning Grounds and slipped under the cover of the salty sprayed ocean as she made her way along the coast until she found the bright blue crystal she would need. After that, she immediately went off in search of the U'Ghamaro Mines, where she delve into the deepest parts underground to pull out a bright yellow crystal that would do well. When she finally returned to Rammbroes and the others, they were looking thrilled at the prizes she liberated.

"So these are the famed flawless crystals of the beast tribes..." he said in awe as he looked over the two crystals, "I have seen countless specimens from I know not how many excavations, but nothing to compare to these. Their purity is...astounding." He then looked back to her and added, "You have done well, Claire. With these in our possession, we lack only the crystals of fire and wind."

So, she set off once again, this time heading to the very borders of Zahar'ak, where the Amalj'aa lived. Depite the openness plains of Thanalan, it was hard to slip past their man guards and iron gates to find a suitable enough crystal that would work. But at last, when she found one that burned like a piece of glowing embers, she made off to the roost of the Ixal in the hills of Coerthas. After pausing for a brief talk with her newly met friend at Camp Dragonhead, he was kind enough to point her in the direction of the Ixali's, though it was with no small amount of concern that he warned her to stay away from them if she could.

She just gave him a grateful smile, and promised she would be careful.

Aside from a couple of quick skirmishes, she ended up finding her last crystal and teleported out of there as fast as she could so that she could take her prizes back to Cid and the others. She had a bad feeling though that they may not be enough… and sure enough…?

"Claire! It is good to see you," Rammbroes said excitedly. "Tell me, were you able to obtain the remaining crystals from the beastmen?"

As her way of answering, she pulled out the two crystals from her bag and held them out to him, and he couldn't have looked more elated as he took them both. "Wonderful!" he cried, "With all four crystals in hand, we are now ready to proceed to the next stage of our preparations."

She looked on in confusion, wondering just what else would be needed to get them to the tower. At the sight of her expression, he cleared his throat and confessed, "Ah. I hope I did not give the impression that we would be embarking on our journey to the Crystal Tower just yet."

Sort of…

"Alas, there is another step which must be completed ere we come to that," he said apologetically, "While the crystals you acquired are indeed flawless, they are of little use to us in their present form. If they are to reflect the elemental forces of the tower's defenses, they must needs be cut and polished... A process which calls for a very particular set of materials. Procuring them will be a challenge in itself, I fear. Needless to say, we will be requiring your services once again…"

"Please tell me that this doesn't have anything to do with breaking into more strongholds?" she asked, speaking for the first time since she returned.

He looked on rather sheepishly as he told her, "If the flawless crystals you procured for us are to retain their elemental purity during the shaping process, a very specific set of abrasive substances will be required. Well, I say "substances," but one might just as well call them one substance—namely "aethersand"—which has four elementally aspected varieties."

Aethersand? She had never heard of such a thing before. Which was already a bad sign to her, for it meant that if she did not hear it on the road, or during her many tasks while crafting or gathering in her free time… it could only mean one of two things… and in this case it was both.

"Alas, aethersand is neither common nor cheap," he said, "Indeed, it is not unusual for the abrasive to exceed the value of the precious stones it is used to polish. Given the rarity of the materials in question, the Goldsmiths' Guild in Ul'dah seemed the likeliest place to purchase the quantity we require. When I contacted the guildmaster, however, I was informed that no aethersand was currently available. Though I requested that word be sent as soon as new stock came in, I have yet to receive aught but apologies. I should mention at this point that I placed the order some time before you procured the flawless crystals... I am well aware that acquiring aethersand is no small feat, of course, and I am not an impatient man—but I fear the more we delay our investigation, the greater the risk that the tower's secrets may fall into the hands of other...less savory parties. That is why I wish to entrust you with the payment for our purchase, and send you to speak directly with Guildmaster Serendipity."

Serendipity? Oh, well, in that case, she knew exactly where to go, and hopefully, her teacher would be able to give her some insight to where she could find more of this aethersand.

"Mayhap the presence of such a distinguished personage will spur the guild into action," Rammbroes confessed, thinking along the same lines that she was thinking, "In any event, it is my hope that when next we meet, you will have found at least one of the four varieties of aethersand we require!"

She didn't know what else she could do, but she promised she would do her best. So, after thanking Rammbroes, who handed her a very large and heavy sack of gil, she headed off towards the Eshtaime's Lapidaries, hoping that little Gigi wouldn't be around to insult her this time.

Serendipity was thrilled at the sight of her walking in through the doors and already thought that she was in to work… and it took a few minutes for Claire to explain the situation to her.

"You're here on behalf of the Sons of Saint Coinach? What fortunate timing—I was just about to contact Master Rammbroes with the news that we've finally managed to acquire a quantity of fire-aspected aethersand," Serendipity said cheerfully, taking Claire by surprise at that news.

"Truly?" she asked, almost afraid that she heard her wrong.

Serendipity beamed as she nodded before adding, "I'm afraid it may be some time before we can supply the other three varieties, but you are welcome to settle accounts for that which we have now. Pray speak with Jemime over th—Ah." She paused over at the counter and whispered, "I do beg your pardon. It seems she's assisting another customer."

Claire looked over, to see, of all people, Biggs of the Ironworks there and practically begging with Jemime.

"Biggs?" she questioned as she quietly walked up over to the counter in time to hear what they were saying.

"Come on, there must be something you can do!" Biggs begged, "Without that sand, we'll have to rethink our whole design!"

"I sympathize with your plight, sir, but as I explained the aethersand in question is already spoken for," Jemime informed him, "If you'd like to reserve the next shipment, then I would be happy to accept the funds you've offered as partial payment..."

"Partial!?" Biggs cried, "Are you saying it's not enough!? I'm already stretching our research budget as it is!"

Oh, no… she really hoped that he wasn't going to be upset with her when he finds out that she was here for the aethersand.

He sighed as she heard him muttered to himself, "...I suppose a man can do without a midday meal for a year or two...Claire!"

He jumped when he finally noticed that she was standing right beside him, and his surprise quickly melted away to a big grin. "It's been too long! What brings you here, then? Got your eye on something expensive, have you?"

"Something like that," Claire said as she pulled out the large sack of money and dropped it onto the counter.

"I believe that you are holding something for me?" she asked Jemime, who couldn't have looked happier at the sight of the gil.

"Well, now...that is quite a money pouch," Jemime said, looking through the pouch as she quickly counted the coin inside, "The sound of so many gil clinking together is strangely satisfying, is it not? Calming...and yet invigorating at the same time..."

"Oh no…" Biggs groaned out, having already put two and two together. He looked back to Claire and asked, "You're here for the blooming aethersand, aren't you?"

Claire nodded apologetically as she informed him that it was for Cid and the others who were in the middle of an expedition of the Crystal Tower and the possible secrets of Allagan sealed away inside it.

"Well, I can't deny the Allagan civilization's a subject worth researching," Biggs confessed, "The chief said he was looking into something big, but we never thought to ask him what."

Really? She would have been dying to know what this 'project' was if it had been her.

"Me and Wedge have been too busy tinkering with a new airship design to think of much else, see," Biggs told her, "Well, I say tinkering... wrestling would be more like it. Still, after much wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth, we've managed to put together a prototype crystal-powered propulsion system. We got the idea for it when we heard how you lot had used a corrupted crystal on board the Enterprise, as a matter of fact."

She honestly stopped following what he said a little while ago. Only that she heard that he and Wedge were trying to build a new kind of engine for an airship and that they needed the aethersand to get it to work.

"Anyway, to cut a long story short, our design calls for all four varieties of aethersand," Biggs said, "And that's why I can't just relinquish my claim on this batch here—even for you, lass. How're we meant to usher in a brave new age of technological innovation if not by technologically innovating, eh!?"

"Ahem," Jemime coughed, interrupting him as she did remind him, "While I hesitate to interrupt such an impassioned speech, duty compels me to point out that this lady is a representative of the organization that reserved the aethersand in question—to mention nothing of the fact that her purse is considerably larger than yours."

At that, Biggs knew that there was nothing else he could do.

"...Oh, it's like that, is it?" Biggs sighed for they both knew that there was no way that Jemime was going to sell him the sand. He looked back to Claire and stated, "All right, all right...this batch is yours. I'll let you have it. But if you're going to take my sand, it's only fair that you grant me a role in this project of yours."

Claire blinked at that, wondering where that came from, when Biggs cut in, "I'll take that as a yes."

"Wait, I'm not sure it's my place to…?" she began but Biggs was no longer waiting.

"Ahhh, it's not every day you get a chance to experiment with the wonders of the ancients," he whispered fondly, his mind already drifting away with the ideas of this ancient technology from the Allagans and what they could possibly do.

"With any luck, they'll inspire me to think up another technological innovation or two!" he said brightly, "Now then, from what you've told me, I'm guessing you'll be needing the other three varieties of elementally aspected aethersand as well, right?"

"Ah, yes…" she nodded, knowing that she was still three bags of aethersand short.

"Then rather than sitting on your rump waiting for a shipment that may never come, I reckon your time would be better spent looking for the stuff yourself," Biggs laughed, "And it just so happens that I know of a good place to start... There is said to be a peddler in northern Thanalan who—very occasionally—handles the earth-aspected variety of aethersand. Wedge is in the process of confirming the rumor as we speak."

Wedge? As in… their Wedge? Well, that was certainly a surprise. But why would he…?

"I know what you're thinking: when did my timid little friend decide he didn't need me to hold his hand anymore?" Biggs laughed, "The answer being: just the other day! Seems he's been inspired by a certain adventurer's heroic example."

He grinned as she felt herself turning red at his praise and he clapped her on the shoulder as he confessed, "I thought he was joking when he volunteered to go to Thanalan without me." But his grin faded a little to reveal a hint of worry. "I just hope he manages to stay out of trouble..."

"Do you think he could be in trouble?" she asked him and the more that he thought it over, the more concerned she could see him grow.

"Head out to Bluefog and you should find him poking about with his new bodyguard," he said. She blinked at that and he added, "Oh, did I not mention her? Aye, Wedge thought it might be wise to hire an adventurer to accompany him—just in case your heroic example turned out to be less inspiring than he first thought."

Oh, well in that case, if someone was with him, then perhaps he was alright.

But Biggs chuckled a little as he said, "If you mean to go looking for the aethersand yourself, you'd best catch up with Wedge over in Bluefog. As for me, I plan to set out for Mor Dhona, just as soon as I've finished locking up the workshop."

"Ok," she agreed as he waved farewell and went running for the door without a look back. Claire barely had time to watch him go before Jemime pulled out a bag from under the counter and prepared to finish up their business. A few minutes later, she walked out the door with the bag in her hands and she could not help but open the top to get a better look at the crimson-red sand that laid within it. She smiled proudly, and tucked it safely at her belt before she headed off to Camp Bluefog, hoping that she could convince Wedge to give up the aethersand in his position.

However, when she finally arrived there and began looking around, instead of Wedge, she found the adventurer that he had hired to escort him through this area.

"Save your greetings," the adventurer snapped at her when she asked what happened, "If you're looking for a hired blade, then you'll have to look elsewhere. After the day I've had, the only company I crave is the squat, silent type—the type that has a handle and holds no less than a pint of ale..."

"But what happened?" Claire asked worriedly as the adventurer knocked her hand away.

"Hm?" the adventurer demanded, "You wish to hear my tale? I warn you, 'tis no stirring epic—but as you asked... My employer—a Lalafellin lad—wished to pay a visit to a peddler who deals in some manner of special sand. I forget what it was called but 'tis apparently worth a small fortune."

Oh no… of all the lousy luck.

"Anyway, when we arrived, the man claimed his stock had been stolen by bandits," the adventurer snapped, "Determined not to return empty-handed, we crept into the bandits' stronghold and set about locating the stolen goods. Long story short, alarums were raised, rogues were awoken, and we fled in a blind panic. I was separated from my employer in the confusion and I've not seen him since."

"Well, do you know where he is?" Claire demanded, "Please, he's a friend of mind and I have to find him."

Hm? Oh," the adventurer said, not sounding the least bit concerned, "A friend of yours, is he? Then you'd best be prepared for the worst. 'Tis just possible the poor sod may yet be lost in the old Amajina mythril mine...but I fear the bandits will have caught up with him by now. If he's still alive, your Lalafell friend will probably be hiding somewhere inside the abandoned Amajina mythril mine where the bandits make their lair. You'll not catch me going anywhere near the place, though—I barely escaped with my life as it was!"

Claire had to resist the urge to slap the adventurer… though she could not help but feel disgusted that they would just leave someone like that. Rather than waste time, she turned and head out north to the direction of the Amalj'aa mine. She really hadn't spent too much time in this area, finding it too dark and polluted for her own tastes… but she did have a good map of the place and she set about to looking for Wedge. She did not dare call out his name though, worried that she may give herself and maybe even Wedge away.

But after sneaking about for a time, she ended up finding and abandoned miner's hut. And she figure that if she was a small Lalafell and needed a safe place to hide… this would be it. There were knots of worry all tangled up in her chest at the thought that she may have come too late. But as soon as she slipped in through the door and spotted the familiar small figure in blue on the ground in the corner of the room; she sighed in relief.

"How could I be so stupid?" she heard him say as he cowered in the corner, his back to her, "Sneaking into a bandit's lair... It's...it's just...not the sort of thing I do! And now I'm going to die or it! No. No, I-I just need to calm down. I can do this. I can be brave." He then stood up and continued talking to himself, "I'm going to stand up, and I'm going to walk out of here. Here we go!"

But no sooner did he turn around and see her standing over him did he let out a loud scream.

"YEEEAAARGH! I'm-sorry-I'm-sorry-I'm-sorry! Please don't kill me!" he begged as he dropped to his knees, losing his cool completely, "I promise I'll leave and never come...back? Claire!? Is it really you!?"

He finally realized that he wasn't being torn apart or threated and when he looked up to see her there, she gave a friendly wave and smile.

"B-But how did you find me? Can you… smell fear?" he could not help but ask a little childishly… before he cleared his throat and added quickly, turning a bright shade of red, "A-Actually, ignore that smell."

She had to fight down the laugh as he cleared his throat and said, clearly determined to change the subject, "I expect you're wondering why I'm here? Well, I was just in the process of retrieving some stolen aethersand which Biggs and I need for our research, as it happens. It was, I concede, perhaps a touch foolish—and very nearly fatal—but I did succeed in snatching the stuff before my bodyguard ran away and several dozen bandits came piling after me with knives and axes and what looked very much like a plank with a rusty nail in it."

"Are you alright?" she asked in concern. After doing a quick scan over him, she could see that aside from some dirt, he looks like he managed to escape unharmed.

"A-Anyway, the important thing is that the stolen aethersand is right here in my po— In my— Oh," he said, some of his relief fading to be replaced with a look of pure horror as he was now pulling out all of his pockets in a desperate attempt to find it. "Oh dear."

"What?" Claire asked, but already guessing what he was about to say and sighed grimly.

"It must have fallen out when I was, um...taking evasive maneuvers," Wedge muttered, seemingly unwilling to want to say he ran away. "It seems I won't be leaving this infernal place for a while yet... You'll find the aethersand in my stead?"

Well, she wasn't going to be leaving this place empty handed, and so she nodded. Besides, it would be a lot safer if Wedge stayed here and hid while she went out to search. She nodded, promising she would find it and he actually leapt around in joy at that.

"Oh, thank the gods! You're a true friend, Claire!" he said, "I hope the search doesn't prove too troublesome—the bandits don't seem to care much for visitors... The aethersand must have slipped out of my pocket while I was busy evading the bandits. I'm sure it's somewhere around here..."

He then pointed to a small part of her map after she pulled it out, which she agreed to.

"Just stay here and if someone other than me comes along, hide," she instructed as she headed outside once again. Finding the little sack wasn't too hard, thank goodness. Aside from a few bandits, she managed to slip around easily enough and snatched the sack from the ground and opened the top to make sure that it was what she was looking for. Just like the aethersand from Ul'dah, she could see the glittering powder… as fine as sand, and sparkling just slightly even in this low light. The only difference with this one and the fire-aspected sand she already had was that this one was more of a golden color… a bag that was more than halfway full of this precious sand.

She smiled proudly, tucking it to her side, she made her way back to the small hut, wondering the best way to break the news to Wedge, hoping that he would let her take the sand.

"Claire!" he gasped, "Have you had any luck locating the aethersand?" And when he saw it hanging at her belt, he clapped his hands and looked ready to throw his tiny arms around her in a hug.

"Yes, that's it!" he confirmed, "I must return to the workshop at once and tell Biggs the wonderful news!"

But as he reached for it, she pulled it a little out of his reach. He looked confused as she apologized and tried to explain what it was all for.

"What's that? You're also on a mission to collect aethersand? And you're working with the chief?" he repeated with his eyes wide. She nodded and quickly explained the situation and how it was Biggs who suggested that she come looking for him. But there was only one part that got through to Wedge.

"A "treasure trove of Allagan knowledge," you say?" he said as he thought it all over before nodding in understanding, "...I see. Then you should really be the one to have this. Biggs and I are far from exhausting all possible avenues of airship innovation, but it sounds as if your problem can't be solved by any other means."

She sighed in relief, smiling as she thanked him for his generosity. But Wedge did have one little condition in exchange for the sand.

"This expedition of yours sounds jolly interesting, I must say... I'm half inclined to join you," he said before he let that declaration sink in, and he decided, "In fact—I think I will! Any venture worth the chief's time must be worth a look!"

"Well, Biggs is already on his way there," she informed him, "I'm sure that Cid wouldn't mind."

That was enough for Wedge.

"Right!" he said, excitement filling his body as he practically bounded around the room.

"I'm more than ready to leave this awful place behind! And you should return to Mor Dhona with that aethersand before there are any more, um...little mishaps," he coughed, "Be sure to keep a close eye on your pockets, Claire!"

She laughed and nodded, staying just long enough to escort Wedge back to Camp Bluefog where he could be sure to avoid any future run-ins with the bandits. After she saw him off, she teleported straight back to Mor Dhona, now wondering where she could find any more of this aethersand.

And as she mounted her Chocobo, she set off down the road thinking to herself, _'Two down… two to go.'_

*Later

"Ah, Claire, you have returned," Rammbroes said happily as she approached them, "I take from your presence that you were successful in procuring us some aethersand. Tell me, which variety did you find?"

"Two of them," she said as she pulled out the two bags that were full of aethersand. The two of them couldn't have looked more thrilled and their faces showed it as they all but cheered at the sight of the bags.

"...I see! Two varieties. Well, that is two more than could reasonably be expected—and two less than I had hoped you would say," Rammbroes said, "Forgive my flippancy. You have done well, truly. If all goes to plan, we need no longer fear death by fire or earth." He looked to Cid and asked, "Master Garlond—if you would be so kind as to prepare the relevant crystals."

Cid took the two bags and was already looking through them, quickly telling Rammbroes that all they needed were the other two types of aethersand.

"I shall set to work immediately. Truth be told, I've been looking forward to this," Rammbroes confessed with another grin, looking briefly like a child on his nameday, "One does not encounter materials like these every day."

"Speaking of which, how in the seven hells did you find them?" Cid asked, looking back at her, "Mistake me not, old friend—I know only too well how capable you are, but aethersand isn't something you simply find gathering dust at the back of a merchant's rare gem cabinet..."

Claire chuckled as she confessed the 'help' she received, and she saw Cid's eyes light up in amusement.

"You had help from Biggs and Wedge? Hmph! Trust them to design a revolutionary new engine the moment I turn my back," he grunted, trying to sound annoyed, but the there an unmistakable sense of pride in his voice.

"How's a genius meant to rest on his laurels when his employees are so damnably inventive, eh?" he asked, "And now they're determined to join us, are they? Typical!" But then he burst out laughing as he reassured them, "I jest, of course. It will be good to have them around. Still, as a matter of professional pride, let's endeavor to procure the two remaining varieties of aethersand before they arrive, shall we?" All but spinning about on the balls of his feet, he turned to Rammbroes and quickly asked if they managed to track down the water and win aspected types of aethersand that they would be needing.

"Naught as of yet, but...I have made certain arrangements. We shall soon see if my efforts have borne fruit," Rammbroes said with an apologetic shrug.

"Forgive me for observing, but you seem less than enthusiastic about that prospect," Cid said to him, "If there's a complication, I'd rather we discuss it now than risk jeopardizing the expedition."

Rammbroes sighed as he said, "Mayhap an explanation is in order. But first, let us savor the preliminary victory that Claire has won for our cause, if only for a moment."


	2. Labyrinth of the Ancients

**Chapter 2: Labyrinth of the Ancients**

No sooner did she come back after finding two nearly impossible things is she sent out to find two more… it was just her luck, wasn't it? Just by keeping her mind on the prize, however, the idea of being allowed to explore that beautiful tower of crystal was too tempting to ignore. So she would have to just grin and bear it.

"So you think you know where to get the other two types of aethersand?" she asked Rammbroes as he carefully set the two sacks of aethersand on a barrel that was serving as a makeshift table.

"Yes, yes...I must speak of the arrangements I made to acquire the two remaining varieties of aethersand," Rammbroes said as he turned back to her, "Some days ago, I asked a Sharlayan acquaintance of mine to travel to Gridania and there gather the necessary materials. Since that time, however, I have heard nary a whisper from him. To be frank, this lack of communication is not entirely uncharacteristic, but I cannot discount the possibility that something ill has befallen the man. Alas, we do not have time to investigate his fate."

Well that seemed a bit harsh. So busy that he didn't even have time to see if this acquaintance was still alive? Really made her wonder what this guy did to earn such a reaction from someone?

"As I have mentioned before, the more we delay our expedition, the more likely it is that the Crystal Tower's secrets will fall into the wrong hands. Therefore, I would entrust you with the same mission I assigned to my friend," he finished, somewhat apologetically. "Travel to the Black Shroud, and seek out Parsemontret, the master of the markets in Gridania. If anyone knows where aethersand might be bought, it is he."

Really? Just after returning from Thanalan they were already sending her back out into the field? They were sure making the most of her travel experience, weren't they? So with a wave, biting back any cheeky remarks that were threatening to rise up inside her, took it all with a grace she perfected back when she was made to run 'errands' for the Company of Heroes. She still had more than a few remarks to each of them for sending her all across the breath of Eorzea for a feast of all things.

But she teleported straight back to Gridania, finding her steps taking her towards the markets as she hunted about. She never once saw any of the stalls ever selling aethersand, and she had been here enough times to remember if she had; she hunted Parsemontret down, one of the watchers of the stalls, and he waved merrily when he saw her approach him.

At first he thought that she was having trouble finding her way around the markets… at least until she told him what she was looking for.

"...I'm sorry?" he said, though it was clear that he heard her request, "Did you say you wish to purchase aethersand? Forgive me, madam, have you the faintest idea of the rarity of the material you seek?"

Yes, that was why she was asking him, wasn't it?

"Why, I have not seen so much as a grain of aethersand in these markets for many a long year," Parsemontret stated, "I could tell you where one might mine the ore from which the water-aspected variety of the abrasive is derived, but only a desperate fool would willingly set foot in the place..."

Really? Well, she supposed the ore was the next best thing. She could bring the ore back to Cid and she was certain he would be able to find a way to turn it into aethersand. It was a start anyway.

Rather than be turned away, she just smiled sweetly at him until he sighed, "You seem undeterred." Then looking as if he felt he may regret telling her all this, he said, "Very well. Are you familiar with Urth's Gift? That is where the ore is to be found—in an area inhabited by a particularly pernicious hog. Should you encounter the betusked nightmare, you will know that you are in the right place...albeit at the wrong time. Farewell!"

Ah, so a hog? She had been around Urth's Gift a few times in the past, but never staying long with all those boars that roamed the area. So she had to keep looking around until she found the biggest one of the bunch and she would know where to find the ore, right? Sounded like a fun way to spend her afternoon.

With a slight spring in her step, she headed out to the South Shroud, having teleported straight to Quarrymill and took the unbeaten path east until she could hear the snorts and grunts of the hogs that roamed the area. She had come out this way before to do some mining, so she already had a clear idea the best way to avoid some of the creatures here while she hunted about for anything useful. After climbing her way out of the dark cave, her feet touched water as she made her way through an almost marsh-like area. That was when she came across something she did not expect… the massive form of a hog carcass.

Baffled by this, she approached, keeping an eye out for anything that could be considered a danger, as she inspected the hog. No, it was definitely dead. Could a stray adventurer have come through this area and killed it? She doubted that it was a hunter, who would have surely taken it back with him… unless he went to retrieve aid in bringing it home due to its massive size?

Still, she didn't like the idea of being here on her own in case the killer came back.

But as she began to examine the corpse, she heard something.

"You are too late, adventurer—and not only for the entertainment," a disembodied voice called out from the shadowy boughs above her head, and she jerked her head up at once, "You will find no trace of the ore which but recently lay here. Nay, not so much as a speck."

She stood up, her eyes flashing about as she searched for the owner of the voice, ready for a fight if that was what they wanted.

"Ah...no," the disembodied voice said tauntingly, "You will never spy me from there. For the time being at least, you will have to trust the evidence of your ears. Now stop squinting at the foliage and listen."

Her eyes narrowed, finding it very grating that this unknown person was toying with her.

"As I told you, the water-blessed mineral you hoped to find is gone—taken by me," the voice said, "Victory has made me magnanimous, however. Accordingly, I have decided to share the location of an alternative source of aethersand with you—the wind-touched variety, to be specific. I trust I have your attention?"

Yes, he was definitely toying with her. She wanted nothing more than to shout out to him, "Are you sure you aren't sending me out there because you're scared to go on your own?"

But she held her tongue as the voice explained, "Good. A band of Ixal in the North Shroud keeps a quantity of the abrasive for the purpose of removing impurities from lesser crystals. Well? Do you mean to dally here all day? Make haste, adventurer, before I snatch another prize from under your nose! This is to be a race."

Oh, a race you say? Well fine, she would play along for now. And when she got her hands on him…?

"The Ixali logging grounds in the North Shroud shall be our destination. And that is where the real amusement will begin," he laughed and she heard a slight rustle of the trees and could feel how the eyes that had been watching her were gone now. Leaving only a whisper on the wind, "May the best player win!"

She was being duped, she just knew it.

However, she would play along for now. She could not help but feel as if her pride was on the line here and she hurried off, taking a few short cuts and paths to make it to the North Shroud as quickly as she could. She knew about the Logging Grounds, though in truth, she had little reason to go there before… but she found her way through the Bobbing Cork easily enough before she took the road more to the northern reaches to where the Ixali were.

Most people tended to avoid this part of the Shroud, knowing that so many Ixali were holding themselves up there as they worked. She never really knew what it was that they were up to, but as she ventured into their territory, she could get a good clue. She could see the makeshift homes and the pieces of airships that were mostly in pieces… this must be where they work on some of their balloons then.

She didn't have time to properly examine them as she slipped under the beaks of the Ixali who were stalking the area, as well as covered up her trail when their wolves sniffed about, smelling someone that didn't belong there. However, Claire had begun training with the Rouge's guild and learned a few helpful tricks to be able to slip across the area unseen. She could not become invisible, but it was enough to cover her tracks just long enough to sneak by before anyone looked too closely.

Eventually, she found her way back so deep, she knew that there was nowhere else she could hope to venture to. She was worried that voice sent her here hoping to get her killed… at least until she noticed a familiar sack sitting on top of a barrel and knew that had to be what she was looking for. As she made to retrieve it though she ended up accidently brushing past a couple Ixali, who felt her, and began to squawk in shock and lunged in her direction.

She had no choice but to silence them before they called anyone else into the area. Once she finished and snatched the bag up, she quickly looked inside to see the bright emerald-green sand that sparkled like fairy dust. She knew that this had to be the wind-aspected aethersand she was looking for.

That was when she heard the sounds of clapping and that familiar disembodied voice she heard before spoke up again.

"Bravo!" the male's voice called, "That was quite a show, adventurer! Why, the spectacle proved so enthralling that all thoughts of aethersand slipped my mind. I appear to have forfeited our little race!"

Oh really? Why did she suddenly doubt that?

But the voice went on, "Congratulations—the wind-touched abrasive is yours. And yet, having been treated to such a memorable performance, I cannot help feeling that the greater prize is mine. This inequity must not stand. I insist that you accept a token of my appreciation."

She was almost afraid to ask this but she simply had to know.

"And what did you have in mind?" she asked coolly, still trying to get a glimpse of this voice, but found nothing.

"Payment for this entertainment will be waiting for you to the east, in a clearing within Proud Creek," the voice chuckled, clearly amused that he got her attention. "Pray retrieve the gift ere it is crushed beneath the iron feet of the dullahans!"

Hoping that she wasn't doing something that she would regret, she vanished from view and hurried off to Proud Creek, knowing that it was close by. She followed the trail south until she spotted the dullahans, the empty armor that would lumber around, attack anything that drew too close. They say that these things were the left over cursed remains of those who died before… by losing their heads in battle. And now they were cursed to wander the earth forever… searching for their missing heads… and not above taking anyone else's either.

She fought her way downwards, preferring only to fight if sneaking by them was impossible. It was far from easy trying to slip by, but once she ended up crushing two particularly large dullahans, she found a small tied up sack left at the base of some boulders.

Blinking, she grabbed it and looked inside, only to be rewards with the bag full of glittering blue powder that reminded her of water sparkling on a sunny day.

"Not what you were expecting?" laughed the voice once more, "I took the liberty of refining the ore from Urth's Gift into aethersand. Do keep it safe, adventurer. Lest you accuse me of playing games, you should know that the thought of relinquishing my prize never once crossed my mind—until I saw you in action. Such deeds must needs be rewarded. It is my vocation, you see, to record history as it is made by mortal men. And I much prefer to chronicle the accomplishments of the bold and the mighty."

Truly? Another admirer? She wasn't sure if she should be flattered or not.

"Thus, it is my fervent wish that you continue your career with the same courage and zeal you have shown today," the voice laughed once more, "We shall meet again, adventurer—and sooner than you may imagine."

She waited until she knew they were gone. She heard the slight rustle of some branches and the breaking of twigs… and then she was left alone safe for the occasional clanking sound of metal footsteps from the dullahans.

Note to self, if she ever found the owner of that voice, she was going to give them a harsh talking to… if not a good smack.

Feeling confused and annoyed in equal measure, she returned to Mor Dhona with her prizes, eagerly looking forward to seeing the look on his face when he finds out that she brought the remaining two types of Aethersand they needed.

So when she did return to Mor Dhona and found Rammbroes waiting for her, it was with a smile she pulled out the two sacks and watched how he almost fell over in shock. Indeed, his hands were downright shaking when he took them from her.

"You've brought both!?" he gasped, "I shall have Master Garlond begin work on the crystals immediately."

And he then turned and hollered for Cid, who came running over, wondering what the noise was all for. When he found out about the remaining sand brought to him, he looked ready to kiss her… which he did give a quick peck on her cheek in joy—before he turned around and began to work. They watched him as he went to the makeshift table and began to work. The first two bags of sand had already been shaped into the forms of long fangs and he set them aside before pulling the other two bags towards him.

It took him almost an hour to finish, but at last, he was able to finish crafting what they needed… leaving them with four bright fangs, each a different color, and each brimming with pure aether. They were so pretty that she was almost tempted to ask if she could keep one.

"There," Cid said proudly, wiping his brow and took a steps back to admire his handiwork, "That should to do the trick!"

"Excellent work!" Rammbroes said happily, "We now possess all four of the "fangs" required to pierce the Crystal Tower's defenses. My compliments, Master Garlond!"

"Oh, it was a trifling matter, I assure you," Cid said before looking to his other side to where she stood as he added fondly, "Claire here is the one you should be thanking. Anyway, by my reckoning, there's nothing stopping us from striding up to the Allagans' front door!"

Claire could feel herself growing more and more excited with every passing moment as the thrill of adventure began to flow through her body once again. But as she was mentally preparing herself for the next part of the journey, she heard a couple voices calling out.

"You can't go without us, Chief!"

Unlike the mysterious voice she heard before, she knew at once who they were. And as she turned around, she could see Biggs and Wedge sprinting towards them, not stopping until they were in front of them, and bent over double as they panted hard for air. It looked as if they ran all the way from Ul'dah just to get here in time.

The three of them stepped out from behind the table to greet them and Cid asked brightly, holding up a hand in welcome, "Biggs! Wedge! Come to lend a hand, have you?"

"Well, it's not every day you get the chance to study the wonders of the Allagan Empire, is it?" Biggs grinned once he caught his breath, "Their technology makes Garlemald's look ancient!"

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, lads, I really do, but we're not here to take this knowledge for ourselves," Cid said, his smile soon fading as it took on a much more serious tone as he informed them, "Twice in the last decade, the promise of unimaginable power has prompted men to meddle with technology they do not understand, and the realm has been dragged unto the very brink of oblivion on both occasions. We shall not be so irresponsible as to risk another."

He then looked to Wedge, who jumped, when Cid asked him firmly, "Wedge, do you recall our company's creed?"

"Y-Yes, Chief!" Wedge said, almost as if he was in the middle of a surprise exam, "It's, um, "Freedom through Technology"?"

That last part sounded more like a question than a statement, but Cid let it go as he nodded.

"Exactly," Cid agreed as he folded his arms, "Freedom. When we forsook our homeland, we swore that we would have no truck with machines that could be used to promote tyranny. That has not changed. Should you feel tempted to break your oath, remember this: the wonders of the all-knowing Allagan Empire could not save their civilization, and have damn near doomed ours. Twice. That is why we must explore the Crystal Tower, and, if needs be, seal away its secrets."

Now that the two of them were here and were met with the true purpose of their expedition, they thought it over if this was something that they could be a part of. She could see it in their faces that while this was a chance to study Allagan technology, if there was even the slightest chance that these items can be used in the wrong way… they would seal away the tower and everything inside it.

After thinking it over for a moment, she watched as the two friends looked at one another and smiled as they nodded in agreement. She smiled as well, knowing that they could count on them.

"A compelling viewpoint," spoke up another voice, "It is unyielding wills such as yours that have defined the course of history."

Oh no…

At the voice, she looked up to the scaffolding above their heads where the researchers used to study some of the giant crystals that were jutting out of the land… to where a miqo'te was standing. He was dressed in red and black leathers with a sturdy-looking bow and quiver full of arrows upon his back as he observed them all with a curious gaze.

"So you return at last," Rammbroes scolded him as Claire felt her eyes narrow slightly, knowing who's voice it was who had been playing around with her earlier, "What, pray tell, has kept you so wholly preoccupied that you could not spare a moment to inform me of your progress or preservation?"

The Miqo'te just grinned before he leapt down, landing just in front of them and he stood up so that she could get a clearer look at him. He had a rather muscular build, with a thick mess of reddish brown hair that fell over his face. She blinked, startled to see the trademark tattoos on his neck that marked him as an Archon, as well as tattoo on his arm that she had learned from Minfilia was actually a symbol of the Students of Baldesion—their allies back in the homeland of Sharlayan. And this seemed to be confirmed when she saw the familiar contraption around his neck that Y'shtola and the other Archons wear. But the thing that really drew her attention were his eyes. The left eye was a bright cyan color… while the left—which was mostly hidden underneath that thick hair—was a red-pupiled one.

"Why, the task you assigned to me, of course. Surely you have not forgotten about the aethersand? I tasked a passing adventurer with delivering it. A more capable courier I could not imagine," the stranger said before around at them all, as if the reason for his lateness was obvious. When he saw her, he gave her a rather mischievous grin and introduced himself, "Greetings, adventurer! Did I not say we would meet again?"

She arched an eyebrow and he grinned a little wider, knowing that she realized who he was. He gave a little bow as he finished, "I believe an introduction is in order. I am G'raha Tia, one of the Students of Baldesion. I look forward to joining you on your ground-breaking expedition!"

She was so close to giving him a telling off for sending her all across the Shroud, but Rammbroes sighed at the Miqo'te's antics. He then looked to the rest of them as he explained, "G'raha Tia has been assigned to the project as an observer. I hope you will forgive him his... eccentricities and welcome him as one of our own."

G'raha grinned and gave them all a big thumbs up.

"So then, our fellowship is complete, and all stand ready to step into the unknown! Three cheers for NOAH!" G'raha cheered out.

The name did not seem to give him the desired reaction, for he was looking a little put out that they were just staring at him blankly. Not that she could blame the others… Noah?

"…Noah?" Cid repeated slowly, voicing some of her confusion.

"That is the name I have chosen for our little collective," G'raha Tia answered, as if the answer was obvious, "Given our differing backgrounds, we cannot very well call ourselves the Sons of Saint Coinach, can we? And we must have a memorable appellation if our venture is to leave its mark in the annals of history. I could claim that NOAH stands for "Nominated Observers of Artifacts Historical," and so it does, technically—but my true reason for choosing this name stems from the fact that it is shared by a vaunted Allagan archmagus."

"An archmagus?" Wedge repeated in awe, and she could see how his eyes lit up even through his goggles, "I like the sound of that!"

Rammbroes laughed as he said, "...Very well. Now that the pressing matter of what to call ourselves has been settled, it is time we set forth to brave the outer defenses of the Crystal Tower. Is everyone ready to depart?"

"Ready!" they all called.

Claire chuckled as she watched on, seeing how everyone was already running around and getting their things ready. Tools and equipment were being packed up and tended to as if they were made of glass, and fresh stacks of paper were ready to have notes be taken upon them as the researchers got to work.

She then looked over to G'raha Tia and raised her eyebrows at him and said, "You know… a gentlemen wouldn't have made a lady run all across the Twelveswood like that."

He grinned and waved his hand at her as he confessed, "A gentleman wouldn't have. But then again, I'm not a normal gentleman, now am I? Rest assure I was watching the whole time and was planning to jump in should you need help. But after seeing how easily you took care of all that, I can see you can look after yourself. Rest assure, you have nothing but the utmost respect from me, my dear lady…"

He then bowed low and despite the slight annoyance she felt with him, she found it difficult not to laugh. But the grin seemed to be more than enough of a reward for him as he stood back tall and began to call to everyone else.

"Esteemed colleagues!" G'raha Tia laughed, "The secrets of ancient Allag beckon! Let's not keep them waiting any longer!" He looked to Claire and added, "Adventurer—you and I will join the engineers at the Crystal Tower's main gateway, where we will endeavor to neutralize the structure's outer defenses." She nodded as he looked to Rammbroes and added, "Rammbroes, meanwhile, will remain here and oversee the operation. Given my knowledge of Allagan history, it seems logical that I should lead the expedition itself… though I admit the role does not exactly befit my status as an observer."

"Awww, gonna miss us already?" she asked and he flashed an annoyed look as she grinned back. She could see the corner of his mouth twitch at that as he winked back before clearing his throat.

"Still, we can but make use of the resources at hand," G'raha Tia said, "Assuming all are in agreement, let us proceed forthwith to the large, lopsided gate found to the southeast."

So she went on ahead with G'raha, Cid, Biggs, and Wedge—taking care as they crossed over the crystal landscape. The journey was mostly uneventful; aside from Wedge accidently getting too close to a Gigas—who turned and charged at them. Claire dashed around the Gigas and stuck her knives in its back, watching it fall with a crash as she leapt out of harm's way as the boys clapped.

"Take a bow, my lady," G'raha clapped, truly looking like he was enjoying every moment here as Cid all but shooed them onwards through some of the denser parts of crystal that surrounded the area. Claire had never been past this part of Mor Dhona before. She had ventured through this area out of curiosity before, but never past this wall since she could not see a way around the stone and crystal. But Cid seemed to know exactly where they were supposed to go and she followed after him as he led them to the lopsided door.

Claire confessed that she never even gave this door a second glance… having just assumed that it was part of the destroyed part of Mor Dhona—just another scar left over from the Calamity. But now that she really took the time to examine it, she realized that it wasn't just some part of the road that was twisted and uplifted… it could certainly be part of a doorway. But how were you supposed to…?

"The Crystal Tower lies beyond this portal," Cid spoke up, "Now comes the interesting part…"

"Cid, you are the only one of our number who has ever crossed this threshold," G'raha stated, "I ask that you take the lead for the present."

Cid agreed and led the way. He was able to find the correct switch to get the door to slide open… with so much crystal jetting out around them though it could not open all the way. But it was enough for the rest of them to squeeze through one at a time. They followed the crystalline tunnel until it came out into a much open area where she could see more stone than crystal waiting for them. They walked along the stone steps for a short distance until they came across a bridge that led to a large platform where she could see the base of the Crystal Tower in her sights. At the other end of the platform they were supposed to cross to get to that point, she could see more steps that were almost perfectly preserved along with a strange, glowing gate that rose up before them. She could think of no words to describe the strange gate, but her attention was soon drawn to the statues that surrounded them. On either side of her stood a series of statues, each in the form of a helmed warrior that held a blade in front of them, with just the tip of the sword buried in the ground. The statues each had a different colored blade, save for their mirror image that stood just opposite them, connected by a slightly glowing series of stones that stretched from one statue to the other.

Though she could not see anything, she could clearly feel it. She felt an odd chill in the air, along with a foreboding sense of doom that was looming over them like a dark cloud. She wasn't the only one who felt it either, for Cid was tensing up as he carefully approached the first set of statues and looked at them anxiously—as if expecting them to spring to life and attack them.

"I say…" G'raha said, sounding serious for the first time as he looked around, "The energy radiating from these statues is… palpable."

That was one way to describe it. The energy from these statues were so tense she could almost taste it in the air. She shifted uncomfortably as Cid took a few more steps so that he was directly in front of them and she had a feeling that he did not want them to go any further than this.

"Lucky for us that it is," Cid said with a grim tone as he observed the statues, "One might otherwise stroll past them… feast your eyes on the elemental defenses which prompted our lengthy preparations. These sentinels prevent would-be intruders from advancing to within twenty yalms of the tower's inner reaches."

That was when G'raha took his bow and a single arrow, never taking his eyes off the statues. She watched, realizing what he was about to do, and watched as he took aim just to fire the arrow… and let it fly. But as soon as it came to the line in the stone where the first two statues stood, the arrow collided with a wall that only became visible when the arrow struck at it. It was there for just a moment before the energy from the wall, in the shape of a honeycomb, instantly burst the piece of wood to ash.

"…No matter how swift they may be," G'raha Tia stated in understanding as he folded his arms.

That was when Cid pulled out one of the fangs he made and held it tightly in his hands, albeit a little nervously.

"Happily, the crystal fangs we took such pains to craft should spare us the inconvenience of instantaneous annihilation," Cid said to them all in determination, "Here, allow me to demonstrate."

Biggs and Wedge, however, were looking terrified at the mere thought and voiced their opinions to that.

"Ch-Chief? It's too—" Biggs began as Wedge failed about.

"Dangerous to allow anyone else to risk his life testing one?" Cid finished for them, but they all knew that wasn't what they were going to say, "Quite right, I made the damn things—it's my job to see that they work."

No one raised another word of complaint, but she felt truly concern rise inside her as she watched Cid slowly approach the statues, the red fang held tightly. She was already preparing to take him back to others if it failed…?

But there was no need for worry.

For as soon as he stepped up to the diamond pattern stone in the middle of the two connecting statues, pausing only to take a deep breath, before thrusting his hand that held the fang out. It happened so quickly she almost missed it, but the fire burned from the fang clashed with the wall around them and they watched as the firewall burned and shattered apart like glass. The impact didn't seem to bother Cid in the least, but the statues on the other hand…? There was a loud CRACK through the air and she watched as the statues broke apart, stone flying in every direction as the statues fell over, leaving nothing but broken rock and dust.

They all cheered as Cid escaped with no more than a slight burn on his hand where he held the fang.

"…Success!" he cried as they all clapped, knowing that all they had to do was repeat the same with the other statues.

"I for one am convinced!" G'raha Tia grinned, "Friends—ready your fangs!"

So they all went. Biggs went next with Wedge, using the water fang to shatter the next one, letting them pass onto the third, where G'raha went next with the green fang and watched with a big grin as the statues were turned to rubble.

Finally, they reached the final two statues, where she was handed the last fang.

"This last one is yours, old friend," Cid grinned, "It seemed only right…"

She took it proudly as she stepped up to the last line of defense and held up the earth fang. As she held it up and thrust it into the barrier, it felt as if she had tried to punch through a wall. She could feel it standing against her, at least until the aether inside the fang pushed back, releasing a wave of aether that caused the barrier to shake and break apart. She could feel the aether burning her hand, but she barely noticed it as she watched the two statues shatter apart from the impact. She escaped with nothing more than a bad sunburn on her palm.

Wedge laughed as they stepped over the final line.

"We did it!" he cheered, "So much for the outer defenses!"

"Indeed!" G'raha Tia said as he punched his fights together. "The entrance to the tower is near at hand. My blood fairly sings with anticipation!"

So did hers. She could feel her spirit rising at the thought, and her legs were all but itching to hurry on ahead and see what laid next. Even though they were still a fair distance away from the tower, she was eager to see where this road would next take her.

"Speaking of blood—I have a proposal for the next stage of the expedition," Cid offered suddenly, "I suggest we wait here while Clare and a handpicked party of her adventuring companions enter the tower."

"What?!" G'raha gasped, turning back to stare at him, "Without us? I thought we came here to survey the entire structure!"

"We did—and we will," Cid promised the otherwise fuming Miqo'te, "But our investigations must proceed at a more measured pace. If the outside of the place is this well defended, can you imagine what awaits us on the inside? Only a true hero could reasonably hope to brave the hazards ahead and live to tell the tale." He looked back to Claire and added affectionately, "Claire here fits that description better than anyone I know."

"Awww, Cid," she said and he laughed at her playful antic.

"And is it not as if we shall be idle in her absence," Cid added to a disappointed G'raha. "While Clare and her companions are risking life and limb to beat us a path to the tower, we can set about analyzing this rubble for evidence of how its technologies function. Your knowledge of ancient lore will be invaluable in that endeavor, Historian G'raha Tia."

"Bah!" G'raha Tia snarled, but seemed unable to come up with a good counter argument for that statement, "Do you ever tire of being right, old man!?"

Rather than wait for an answer, G'raha Tia looked to Claire and said, "Claire—as it seems I won't be accompanying you, allow me at least to provide some instruction. The maze that surrounds the base of the tower is known as the 'Labyrinth of the Ancients.' During this initial foray, I suggest you concentrate on ridding the place of hostile elements. When you are reasonably certain the maze is secure, contact me via linkshell and we shall join you posthaste—no matter what Master Garlond says!"

Seems fair enough and she nodded, promising to let them know when it was safe to go in.

"Though we would prefer it if any relics you encounter remain intact, you have leave to do whatever is necessary to secure ingress to the upper leaves of the tower," G'raha also added. "Fortune go with you, Claire."

But he still insisted on walking with her as far as the entrance even as Claire contacted some of her adventuring friends, who were flocking to the tower. G'raha glared at each one with envy as they went through the gate, all of them talking and laughing, until it was just the tow of them outside.

"Well, better go in before they start without you," he sighed as he bowed and gestured with his hand for her to continue on ahead. "Look after yourself there, my friend," he then added, "I expect to hear the entire story when next we meet."

She nodded, promising to tell him everything as she stepped up and through the portal as well… she shut her eyes from the brightness of the portal… and when she next opened them… she could see that she was somewhere underground.

The entire feeling she got, at least at first, was similar to the Sunken Temple of Qarn. But the more she looked around, making her way down some steep steps, she could see more of this strange stone technology like the kind they ran into outside. There were glowing blocks that let the way for her… not that it was needed for beneath them was a river of fire and lava. The heat was almost unbearable and she felt as if the very air was burning her lungs as she and all the others stepped further in. She wiped her brow as a pillar of lava would burst out from over the ledge of the stone walkway that they were all standing on. They all agreed to stay as far away from the ledge as possible as they continued to walk until they came across an enormous stone doorway set in a thick wall that had blue glowing stones, later realizing that they were actually crystals. She looked up in astonishment to see how the light flowed through the cracks, causing the entire wall to twinkle like it had tiny rivers cut perfectly into the brickwork.

Curious, she stepped closer to examine it… but when her group got close enough a doorway opened up like the mouth of some great creature. And after looking inside, she realized that this place was a lot bigger than she first thought.

For through the door there was another flight of stairs that led to an island that was set up on a vast pillar over the lava that burned beneath them. Upon this island was a floating pillar surrounded by aether as it floated there, while three stone tablets circled it—energy flooding in through the room.

These Allagans liked to do things big didn't they? She ran forward, trying to examine the pillar but they all quickly realized that it was out of their reach. So what was it they were supposed to do? Well, upon this pillar were crossroads that stretched in four directions, including the path they used to get here. Yet aside from the one they used, there was only one on the left that remained open for them to travel through—the other two blocked by some sort of invisible barrier.

Knowing there wasn't any other option, they went left, following a long path of walkways and stairs until they came out into another large open area. This room was full of platforms that were set with several different layers on the ground while a strange purple liquid floated about them. Claire didn't need to guess what that purple gunk was—having been with the Alchemist Guild long enough to be able to recognize poison when she saw it.

Guarding these platforms were all manner of voidsent stalking the area and she ran to join the others to fight them. She soon found out the purpose of these platforms when the poison began to flood over the stone floor. She could feel the leather burning on her boots when her foot stepped in some of the gunk to avoid an attack by a floating eye and warned the others who all began to climb up higher to avoid the poison. Thankfully, once their foes were all dead, the poison receded and they were allowed to continue on.

The next couple rooms were just like the first, with different 'safe' areas to stand on while they fought the voidsent and avoided the poisoning. She was really starting to get sick of this after clearing out the third room with the poison when a flight of steps rose out of the poison when they killed the last voidsent. She led the way up the stair and into an enormous room, larger than the last three put together, and she could see more of the poison dripping from miniature waterfalls all around the circular room. On the ground below them were a series of square platforms as well as one slightly larger round one in the center of the room… where a dragon was waiting for them.

She had dealt with dragons before when she made her way through Coerthas and the Stone Vigil… but this one was very different from the ones she had seen before. This one was very thin and had strange glowing scales and empty eyes as it hissed and waited for them to come to it. Well, not one to stand by and let a challenge go, she charged ahead to face the dragon head on. She should have known that beating it wasn't going to be as easy as they thought… for while the dragon fell quickly enough… a small army of skeletons appeared. They rose up from piles of bones that were scattered around the room and charged in with swords.

So they had to focus their energies on fighting them while the room would continue to fill up with poison from time to time. It got to the point no one wanted to step off the platforms in fear of when the poison would rise high enough to get to them. Meanwhile, the dragon, whom they thought was dead, would keep rising to its feet to keep on fighting; which led to the cycle to continue on from there.

To say it was getting irritating, would be an understatement.

But finally, they beat the dragon down long enough to finish killing off the last of the skeletons, whom they realized were the ones bringing the dragon back to life, and dealt a serious enough blow for it to stay down this time.

She spat out a mouthful of bile as she wheezed, the fumes of the poison starting to get to her as they watched the glowing dragon fall for the last time. As soon as the guardian fell, the poison receded for the last time and they made a hasty retreat back to the 'main hall' she supposed she could call it. As soon as they made it back though, they realized that one of the tablets that circled the floating crystal pillar had vanished and they quickly grew excited when they saw the path on the right was suddenly open.

It didn't take an Archon to figure out what was going on. She realized that there must be a sort of 'guardian' along each of these three paths and the only way to get through this labyrinth was to face and kill all of them. Only then could they find out what this crystal would do… hopefully open the way to the Crystal Tower.

So they knew they already cleared one of the roads, they headed to the newly open one, with her silently hoping that there would be anymore poison waiting for them.

Well, maybe it wasn't poison… but she knew not what else it was. For once they ran along the walkway, they came out into another room that was full of this thick, luminous green liquid. She didn't like the looks of it and was really hoping that she or anyone else would fall through it by accident. She wasn't overly curious to know what it was.

But as soon as they crossed over another flight of stairs, she saw that their one path broke up into three different paths, each one led to a large platform that was right above the strange 'water'. What was this room for? On each platform were several smaller pads at one end, with several large monsters on the other side?

The group separated into three slightly smaller groups as they each ran towards one of the platforms and wondered what they were supposed to do here. It wasn't until someone got too close to one of the monsters did things get interesting. They all ran to the other end of the platforms to fight with the large monsters that were more like giant mouths than anything else, before they watched in horror as they called forth voidsent and demons to fight for it.

Oh, just what they didn't need.

And to make matters worse that when they went straight in to attack the drifting creatures… they were protected by some kind of barrier that prevented them from doing any damage. Meanwhile they kept summoning more and more monsters to attack them. She could hear the screams of fear and anger from the other adventurers as they were trying to work out how it all worked… however it wasn't until someone stepped onto one of the smaller pads and saw how it began to glow were they able to work it out.

After much shouting and arguing, they managed to figure out that at least four people had to be standing on each of the pads on each platform at the same time to get the barriers down long enough for the other four members of each group to attack the monsters and the monster makers. So, through trial and error, they managed to hold their own until the last creature was killed and more stone platforms rose up at out the green pool to allow them to continue on. She could hear many others cursing and grumbling about what they thought about this stupid labyrinth—and to be fair—she didn't disagree with it at all.

Whoever came up with this place sure had a sick mind.

They all began to run up another flight of stairs… which led to another round platform that was surrounded on all sides by the green liquid and a large set of moving armor with a giant greatsword –larger than her entire body.

Meanwhile, on the platform there were a few sections that held what looked to be some sort of giant imps sticking their heads out of… pots?

This place just kept getting stranger and stranger.

Not even bothering to think, some of the others raced in to kill the giant armor… at least until they realized that none of their attacks were getting through to it. She didn't know how Allag was able to do it, but she could sure use some of those barriers that prevented anyone from doing harm to her when she was fighting in a battle. It would make things a whole lot easier.

They kept this up for a while as the giant armor continued to not just swing it's blade around, but it was summoning up more voidsent to its aid.

'Think,' she scolded herself as she ducked as she managed to avoid getting her head cut off. 'There has to be some sort of trick to get out of this…? What about those pots?"

That was when she realized that the voidsent were targeting and attacking the pots, causing them to hover off the ground and float about the room. Deciding to take a chance, she called for others to help her defend the pots and see what happened. Several of them looked at her strangely, but with no one giving out any better ideas, they did what she asked. Once they cleared the room of monsters for the moment, it seemed that the imps were ready to repay their kindness. She could feel a surge of aether flowing through her from the potted imps and she suddenly had an idea as she threw a dagger at the moving armor.

That certainly got a reaction out of it and they all leapt into action. It turned out that the imps had the power to make sure that their attacks actually did harm to the moving armor… and by protecting them from the monsters, they were more than able to repay the favor by enchanting several groups long enough to be able to deal damage over time. It took a while, but finally, they watched as the damage they dealt was enough to case the giant to fall over as nothing more than a giant pile of broken and twisted metal.

Seriously, who thinks up these 'trials' for them? Someone needed to spend a little more time in reality.

But with that threat now taken care of, and no other way to move forward, they returned to the main hall where they saw that the second stone tablet was gone, leaving only one… and the final path open.

So they were nearing the end… thank the gods.

She took the final path that was directly in front of them, and she could already feel the blast of heat hitting her face as they ran through another series of rooms where they were surrounded by pools of fire and lava on all sides. She didn't even want to know how they were able to keep lava here for the last few thousand years.

"Blood brilliant," she sighed as she ran along the platform and was already sweating. That was when they came to a large platform that was set right in the center of the pool of lava with three fire demons waiting for them.

She saw where this was going and they broke up into groups once again so that they could each have a chance to kill some demons. Not long after the battle started, however, they realized that the demons were connected through some sort of bomb in the center of the platform. The closer the demons were to the bomb, the stronger they grew and the tougher they were to hit them. Not only that, but she could see how the bomb would also continue to grow larger and larger… and she had seen enough of these blasting bastards go off to know that this was going to be a big explosion.

They separated the demons as far as they could as they killed them all one at a time… leaving the bomb defenseless in the middle where they killed it before it could explode as well. She couldn't wait to get out of this place, thinking longingly of a tall cool drink waiting in Costa del Sol… or even more so of the wintery lands of Coerthas.

Just any place was better than a giant stove that was trying to kill them all.

Out of the fire then rose another stone platform where they were able to cross over to a tall flight of stairs—where she was sure the last creature was waiting for them.

Well, she was half right.

At the top of the stairs there was another large creature waiting for them… only it was a…?

"You got to be kidding me," she sighed as she saw the behemoth began to roar out at the sight of them there.

Having fought with behemoths across Coerthas before, she knew this fight wasn't going to be easy. Especially since there were these strange mechanical towers surrounding the platform and as soon as they stepped up to the area to fight, she could feel electrical shockwaves going through her body just from standing there. After shouting out orders, some members ran off to each of the towers to see if they could turn the power off so that it wouldn't hurt them just to stand… however, it seemed that they were only making things worse because they were calling down large boulders from the ceiling.

That really wasn't helping… especially since she hit the ground and rolled to avoid a boulder from crushing her. Yet, it seemed that perhaps this was what was supposed to happen… for the Behemoth began to roar out and she knew what was coming. After warning the others of the meteor that was coming, they were all looking for something to stop it… but it was too later, she could see the giant mountain of flaming stone coming down from above. With no other choice, she called for them to duck behind the boulders that fell earlier and hold on.

This turned out to be the right choice. While she could still feel the impact and cried out in pain… the boulder took the hit rather than her or any of the other adventurers. The worst of them were merely winded and bleeding… nothing life-threatening and certainly no deaths yet.

That was when they went back to the towers to continue call down more boulders so that they would be ready for the next meteor… but it seemed that the monsters that were summoned, including more bombs and iron giants, were aware of this plan and were suddenly attacking the towers themselves.

It fell into a pattern once again, fight and kill the lesser mob of monsters, call down the boulders, and hide behind them should Behemoth roar. Every time they saw him open his mouth to roar did they know what was coming. After a few rounds, they were able to get in under the defenses and dealt a serious enough blow to the creature to bring it down. It roared one more time before it fell, disappearing in a giant guff of black aether.

She was gasping for air as they headed back to the entrance, thinking that all was over… at least until they sat the floating pillar in the center of the room was now glowing even brighter. She watched as the final tablet fell away from it and the pillar floated downwards into the ground. It didn't break through it though, it was more like it merged with the stone and passed by… and she watched until the glow continued and faded. Then that was when the stone block rose up and into the air, having formed a platform where they could stand upon. So, without thinking, she led the way and they all leapt onto the platform as it moved past them, taking them upwards and out of this horrible place… at least she thought it was.

Instead of carrying them outside like she was hoping for, it brought them to another series of platforms surrounded by fire and lava. As she and the others stepped off to look around… that was when she saw him appear.

A giant of a warrior with glowing yellow skin stepped forward; dressed in grand armor with a fierce blade in his hands. He looked down at her with empty eyes and a rather sad face as she stared up at it.

She just can't catch a break, can she?

They all charged together as more lava poured in around the room, beginning to cover the outermost reaches of the arena as they fought with the giant. Even as giant mechanical hands rose up from the glowing pads and tried to grab hold of some of their number, forcing them to deal with the hands before turning their full attention back to the warrior, who would perform attacks wide enough to reach every corner of the vast room.

But if there was one thing that they all learned it was to keep to the pads. They were the key to the problems in this maze of nightmares. She could feel it coming at one point, when the warrior moved to the center of the giant room and held his blade up high. She could feel the aether being stored up and ready to be unleashed… and she looked around, ready to find some way to block it or interrupt it…?

That was when the fire moved away from the pads on the platforms and they all bolted for them, ready to take the chance. They moved back just in time. For as soon as enough people were all standing on each of the three platforms, a magick barrier rose up to protect them from the flare that broke away from the giant. She could see the platform beneath them covered in fire and magma… knowing that just one step would be enough to burn and seriously injure any of them.

Not that staying behind the barrier was a good thing either, for more iron giants and claws rose up to attack them. Yet, they did not dare move from the pads until the fire had died down from the warrior's attack. Once they watched the flame flicker and die, they dashed out to finish it.

So they knew how to defend themselves from the worse. That was good to know. So they kept moving back and forth, black and forth between the pads, even as iron giants and claws rose from the pads to attack them. It protected them from the flare magicks. And then they watched as she dealt the final blow and brought an end to the warrior. He fell to his knees and then onto his back where he burst out.

There were cheers from all over as the adventurers around her all began to loot for any valuable treasures and armor they could get their hands on before they made a hasty retreat. Claire waved at them all, thanking them for their help as they celebrated, many of them making plans to return to their favorite taverns for drinks.

Claire remained there as she waved them all over, only pausing to inform G'raha Tia and the others through the linkpearl that it was safe for them. By the time that the others arrived, the last of her adventuring friends had made their way out.

"Ho there, Claire!" Cid said, jogging the last few yalms to join her, a big grin on his face.

"Very impressive, I must say!" G'raha Tia added with another thumbs up, "Your name shall be write large in the volumes that are sure to be penned on this historic expedition."

She smiled back as she shrugged, watching how Cid folded his arms and stared up and all around them as they took in the full massiveness of the room.

"The scale of this structure defiles comprehension…" he whispered in wonder, "Someone plainly thought bigger was better."

Well, with all the traps and defenses that they set up here, Claire reasoned that they needed all the space they could get just to fit everything inside. And if this was just to get to the front door… she could not help but wonder what was waiting for them at the top of the tower?

"According to the findings of my Baldesion colleagues, the Crystal Tower was constructed to collect and store the endless energies of the sun," G'raha spoke up as he looked around with a bright sense of curiosity, "A characteristically ambitious undertaking."

He turned to Claire and added, "Now, what of the tower's inner defenses? Judging by your haggard expression, clearing out the labyrinth was no small feat."

She shrugged and told him everything she had seen as well as how some of the defenses worked. Biggs and Wedged wandered a little bit to get a better look at everything as Cid and G'raha Tia listened closely to her tale.

"…A giant of a man wielding a shimmering scimitar, you say?" G'raha said thoughtfully, "Yes, that will have been Phlegethon. Not Acheron. Phlegethon. He was a hero of the Allagan revolution."

"And you gleaned that from what exactly? His choice of weapon?" Cid asked incredulously as he turned his gaze towards him.

"Well, I am a historian," G'raha said rather smugly. "And I have a certain, shall we say, 'affinity' for the lore of the Allagan Empire." But then some of his smugness faded as he added, "It is, of course, all knowledge gleaned from musty scrolls and tomes. The ancient texts claim that the Crystal Tower is defended by the champions of eld, resurrected and augmented through the Allagans' extraordinary technology."

Truly? She knew that Allagan was advanced, but to be able to resurrect their heroes from their technology? All of a sudden, she was having second thoughts of looking into the Crystal Tower.

"Chief, you need to see this!" Biggs called, having wandered a little bit away and was looking at something above them. They hurried over to see what it was, and that was when she spotted the large opening in the roof that led out to the base of the Crystal Tower, now so close that she could all but touch it.

"Well, well, there it is… the foot of the tower," she heard Cid whisper to himself as he looked on, "What surprise do you have in store for us, I wonder…?"

Cid then looked to Claire and said, with no small amount of relief, "I can't tell you how glad I am to have you with us on this little jaunt, old friend. Had you not beaten a path through that maze, I very much doubt we'd be standing here now…"

"I doubt that you would have gone straight in on your own," Claire said before looking to G'raha and added, "Well, most of you wouldn't have."

G'raha didn't seem to notice what she said as he clapped his hand together and said, "Well! We have much to discuss and digest. Let us retire to Saint Coinach's Find for the present and there plan our next step. Lest there be any doubt, our expedition has some way to go yet!"

And that was what they did. With the Labyrinth of the Ancients now safe to pass through, they made it back to Rammbroes and the others with little trouble, and were already informing him of everything that happened. Most of the other researchers had already left at this point as they began to set up their equipment outside the Labyrinth so that they could get to work studying up on every part of the ruins, leaving the rest of them to discuss where to go from here.

"The fellowship of NOAH being accounted for, it is time this assembly was called to order! Rammbroes will be presiding over the meeting. If you would be so kind as to inform him of your readiness to proceed..." G'raha Tia said, calling out to everyone rather formally, leaving Rammbroes to give him an impatient poke in the back of the head for his antics.

"Welcome back, Claire," Rammbroes said directly to her after G'raha had been scolded, "I have just been reading about your encounter in the Labyrinth of the Ancients. It pleases me greatly to note that you seem none the worse for the experience. For your reference, I have added my own notes to G'raha's preliminary expedition report, and begun compiling a Crystal Tower survey log."

He then set the large tome that he had been working on and set it aside, informing her that she was free to look over it whenever she wanted and he would be glad to answer whatever questions he could. Once she thanked him he then went on to the matter at hand.

"Now, if there are no objections, I shall begin with a summary of the expedition's key accomplishments," Rammbroes said, "In the course of this, our first foray into the grounds of the Crystal Tower, we succeeded in neutralizing the structure's outer defenses, before proceeding to secure the maze surrounding the base of the spire. According to Claire's account, the labyrinth's defenses were most emphatically active. Disturbingly, her report also mentions a violent encounter with a sentry heavily augmented by Allagan technology…"

"In short: our misgivings were well founded," Cid said darkly, his arms still folded, "The Crystal Tower was not simply thrust above ground by the chaotic shifting of earth—it has somehow been reawoken."

What did that mean though? Reawoken? As in the defenses were dormant until now? But if that was the case, then who, or what, could have woken everything up? Was it them when they made it past the Eight Sentinels?

"If, as seems increasingly likely, the tower's secrets should prove too dangerous to share with the world, we will have no choice but to contain them," Cid sighed, "Short of leveling the place, this will almost certainly involve returning its mechanisms to a state of dormancy. To do that, however, we will first need to address the question of how they work—the answer to which must surely be waiting for us inside the tower itself." He then turned his gaze to the beautiful spire as he finished, "In conclusion: that is where we must go."

"A task rather easier said than done, if the perils of the labyrinth are any indication..." G'raha Tia stated, not a hint of his usual cheer in his voice.

"Then I move that all further exploration of the tower be delayed until such time as an exhaustive analysis of the structure's defenses has been completed," Rammbroes suggested, he turned back to Cid and the others as he finished, "Master Garlond, may I entrust this task to you?" Rammbroes asked.

"It would be my pleasure," Cid confirmed without hesitation.

"Don't forget about us!" Wedge added as he and Biggs beamed widely and were looking ready to get to work.

When Cid turned back to them, Biggs added, "It's like you said, Chief—we founded the Ironworks to make sure that technology was used for the right reasons, and that means making sure it's not used for the wrong ones. We wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't see this through to the end."

"Lads…" Cid sighed and he truly sounded touched by their words before he cleared his throat and added a little more sharply, "Well, I hope you're ready for some backbreaking chores!"

"Well, everything seems to be in hand here, so I shall take my leave of you for the present," G'raha Tia said brightly, "If I am to witness this valiant tale unfold with mine own eyes, I must needs hone my martial skills ere we ascend the spire!"

"You'll do nothing of the sort, G'raha," Rammbores warned, "Your knowledge may prove useful to Master Garlond's investigation."

G'raha looked put out about this and pouted as he turned his head away, almost childishly.

"As an observer, I am not, strictly speaking, subject to your authority..." G'raha said, but when his eyes caught her own, he seemed to calm down and added, "Pray do not mistake my intent, Claire. I am well aware that I shall never be a match for one with your innate talents, however hard I train. Be that as it may, pray do not allow your skills to rust from disuse during the coming pause. We will need you fighting fit if our subsequent forays are to prove as productive as this one. Mark me: we have not yet caught more than the briefest glimpse of that which time has obscured. Soon, however, we shall cast off the veil, and gaze upon the glory of the Allagan Empire!"

"And with that encouraging thought in mind, it is time to bring this assembly to a close," Rammbores said as they all felt that familiar sense of excitement rise within them at what could be waiting for them. "Let us all focus on the tasks at hand, that our next expedition may begin all the sooner. Meeting adjourned!"

Needless to say, there was a celebration happening that night as they rejoiced in how far they had come already. Claire remained with them as they all had a small feast and sat around the fire as they enjoyed themselves. It was a relief when someone spoke of something other than calculations or of the structure of the tower and instead spoke of stories. She sat, ate, and laughed with the others as they all took turns telling each other their most exciting and funny stories. She took this time to tell them a little more of the bumbling inspector she met a little while ago, and how he truly thought that he had been a zombie for the last few years and lived among the living dead as their king.

"Good gods, how is he still alive?" Rammbroes roared out in laughter as he enjoyed a generous amount of drink.

"Maybe he didn't have much of a brain and the other zombies weren't tempted by him?" G'raha offered and soon they were all laughing again. As the night wore on, the Miqo'te clapped her on the shoulder and said to her with a bright grin, "My friend… something tells me that you and I are going to get along famously!"

While the group enjoyed their hard-won victory, malms away there was someone else who was stepping up to examine the destroyed pillars that had been—until earlier that day—pristine statues.

"Such a terrible mess," the outlandish man sighed almost bored as he looked around at the smashed rock, "Yet it does leave the door wide open, so to speak."

He paused as he looked around a little closer at the remains and even gave a slight grin.

"One cannot help but be impressed," he admitted, "I'm beginning to understand the reliance you place on adventurers, old friend." He looked to the still glowing platform that held the gate and sighed, "So… this is the legacy the Allgan Empire left behind. If my readings are correct, the energy source waiting atop the tower is a match for even the Ultima Weapon. Nay… more than a match."

He then chuckled to himself, "A new toy for me to play with."

He reached up to remove the mask and let it fall as Nero tol Scaeva looked on. A new fire burning in his breast at what he suspected was waiting for him up ahead. It seemed his idea to get that adventurer involved was a good decision on his part. Already the outer defenses have been taken care of and a path to the front door was open to him.

He waited this long, so he supposed he could wait a little longer.

"I believed the fates had conspired to deny me my just rewards once again… but it would seem they had a greater destiny in mind for me," he said, "And so long as my ambition burns, I shall strive to seize it. The dream lives on, Cid… do not disappoint me!"


	3. For Prosperity

**Chapter 3: For Prosperity**

Claire spent about a week near the Find with the other researchers. Cid, Biggs, and Wedge spent most of their time inspecting more of the Labyrinth and the foot of the tower, and from what she heard, they were discovering new secrets with every passing day. Some of them were even inspiring new ideas in her engineer friends and she was quite curious to see what they built next with them.

But most of the time she spent in that area, she was getting to know G'raha Tia, who seemed thrilled to have someone's ear to talk off.

"The Allagan civilization thrived within the borders of a vast empire, producing marvels the likes of which this world has never seen again. It's said that its technology was so advanced, the magitek of Garlemald appears crude and childlike in comparison. When I first laid eyes on the Crystal Tower, I finally realized the truth of that claim..." he said to her as they sat at the ledge that gave a glorious view of the tower.

G'raha seemed to be enthralled with learning everything there was to learn about Allag, and whenever she asked a question, he was more than happy to answer it for her.

"So," he went on when she asked just how large the empire had once been, "According to our records, it once expanded all across Eorzea and beyond when it thrived during the Third Astral Era. They were the ones who created so many relics that are still around today, which shows just how advanced they were if so many of their stuff survived these last few thousands years."

He then pointed to the sack of tomestones that she was carrying and added with a laugh, they were the ones who created these tomestones that you are so fond of collecting."

"I don't like collecting them," she pouted with a smirk, "But they can sell for some pretty cool gear and weapons from the Toll."

"Oh, do tell," he said in interest.

That was another thing about her new friend, how he loved stories, especially tales about her adventures. He loved adventure, the tales of heroes and villains, of seeing new lands and mysterious lands and creatures. They would often take turns telling each other what they knew—with her asking questions about what he knew of the Allagan Empire and history—and he would all but beg for details on her travels.

"So you and this Alisaie person have been recently studying up on some of the remains of Dalamud?" he asked her curiously as she finished telling him about how she was reintroduced to Alphinaud's sister Alisaie and how they were looking around to discover the truth of the Calamity. She did not tell him about what they discovered so far as what was beneath the earth—just that they were interested in finding out more of the events that led up to the Calamity. Alisaie, after all, didn't wish to get her hopes up that her grandsire may yet be alive… it was too soon to say.

Still, if the binding coils that the two of them explored so far were anything to go by, they were definitely more designs by ancient Allag, and the more she knew about that lost empire, perhaps…?

"The Allagan Empire was founded by Emperor Xande," G'raha explained after she asked for more information, "Almost… I'd say about five thousand years ago. Allag had covered most of Hydaelyn when they were at the peak of its reign and we can still see all sorts of traces of that today. They say that it started to go into decline just before the Fourth Umbral Era, which led to a massive earthquake that all but destroyed the cities. I can't imagine an earthquake of that size, can you?"

"So where does the Crystal Tower come into all this?" Claire asked curiously. "Was it a special place to them?"

"Well, that's just what we're trying to figure out," G'raha answered back, "From what we know, the Tower was near the very heart of the empire at one point and that there are bound to be so many locked secrets inside it. And we're getting there! I mean, that's why we're here! That's why the Sons of Saint Coinach first planned this expedition. They're an organization from Sharlayan whose mission is to research Allag."

"That's how you met them?" Claire asked curiously.

G'raha nodded as he leaned back on the ground next to her and stared up at the sky.

"Yep," he answered, "He and my father were on good terms and whenever Rammbroes came across information regarding the Allagan Empire, he came to us. And after my father died and I finished my studies at the Studium, Rammbroes began to come to me. So we've been on pretty good terms for a long time. And when he told me that they needed an expert on hand while they explore a true relic of Allag, how could I refuse when he invited me along? Full glad I am to be here."

He continued to look up at the bright blue sky before turning his head to grin at her and added, "If nothing else, I have heard many a fantastical tale from you, my new friend."

Claire smiled back as she watched him stretch out and enjoy the sunshine on his face. But after awhile, she began to notice the slight traces of worry sinking in and she had to ask him, "Is everything alright?"

"Hmm? Yes, yes, I'm fine," he reassured her before finally sitting up. "Well, maybe not. It's hard to explain. Why don't we head back to the Find and I'll tell you about our progress so far? I think that you need to hear it."

Claire blinked, taken aback by that sudden change of subject, but agreed as they got up and returned to the Find where Rammbroes was waiting for them.

"Ah, 'tis you, my friend," Rammbroes said as he greeted her, "You are doubtless eager to hear of our progress on the Crystal Tower."

She nodded, not liking the rather grim tone that the others all had, signaling that progress was not going as well as everyone hoped it would.

"Excellent, I'd be disappointed to hear otherwise," Rammbroes said bracingly before his smile faded so that he could confess, "Of course, 'disappointed' is the word of the day, I fear. I'm ashamed to say that there is nothing worthwhile to report. The Sons continue to probe the Labyrinth of the Ancients, and every day brings new discoveries. Alas, the same cannot be said of the Crystal Tower proper. We've not been able to set so much as a single foot inside it."

"Why is that?" she asked looking from him to G'raha, who's tail twitched uncomfortably.

"You will recall how the Eight Sentinels stood between us and the Labyrinth initially," G'raha reminded her, "In like manner, the entryway into the principal spire—Syrcus Tower, the Allagans called it—is also protected by technology far more advanced than our own. Cid and I have tried every trick we know, but without success. Frankly speaking we are at a loss."

So there was another defense to prevent anyone from entering the tower itself? What could be harder to get through than the Labyrinth or the Sentinels?

"It is discouraging, but we cannot give up," Rammbroes countered, not ready to admit defeat, "There must be a way in. …And so the situation stands, my friend. Until we gain entry into the tower, I fear your talents shan't avail us."

Well, that felt rather rude to her. She could admit that she wasn't some high educated scholar like these guys were, but she was far from stupid. Would it really hurt for her to at least help look at the problem before deciding that her talents were to be used only for brute force?

"It will require time that I am loath to waste, but I have a mind to set my people to scouring such ancient texts as we have on hand," Rammbroes finished.

Claire sighed, seeing that this wasn't going to go anywhere and decided that it may just be for the best if she just headed back out; maybe head back to the Rising Stones to see if there was anything else that needed done.

Yet as she all but resigned herself to return in a few days' time, she heard a voice offer, "Perhaps we can be of assistance?"

All three of them looked up to see that two people were approaching them—a young man and a woman. Both of them were dressed in grand amour and beautiful green silk that truly brought out their dark hair and bright ruby eyes as they approached. Claire looked over them both curiously, wondering just where they received such attire and if she could possibly earn some herself?

"And you are?" G'raha asked politely.

"Be at ease, friends, for we share the selfsame goal," the woman said with a smile before she introduced themselves with a slight bow, "I am Unei, and my companion is called Doga. We are scholars of the Allagan civilization, sent by the Students of Baldesion to assist in your endeavor."

Oh? More of the Students? That sounded very odd to her. She spoke to Minfilia not long ago when she heard news of how the Isle of Val, and most of the Students of Baldesion had mysteriously vanished. Everyone was in a panic near the Sharlayan motherland because of this development, and as important as this was, she found it odd to think that the Students would be sending two more scholars out when G'raha was already here?

"Unei and Dogi?" Rammbroes repeated as he folded his arms, looking as suspicious as she felt, "Rather unusual names for this day and age, if I might be forgive for observing. But I digress. You claim to be here at the Students' behest, but we have received nary a word of your coming. Moreover, in light of the recent incident at the Isle of Val, I should think they have rather more pressing concerns."

She was glad to see that she wasn't the only one who found their story a bit too convenient. But neither Doga nor Unei looked surprised or even offended at the statement. Indeed, they took the whole thing in stride as Doga shrugged and offered, "We can only assume that the message failed to reach you due to some mishap. I assure you that we are here to help."

She opened her mouth, about to ask them something when she heard G'raha give out a grunt of pain. She looked over at him to see that his hand was clutching the right side of his face, as if in pain.

"What is it, G'raha?" Rammbroes asked in concern.

"'Tis nothing," G'raha grunted, giving his head a little shake, "There was… a pain, but it has subsided."

Claire just looked on in concern. The way that he brushed that off… a sudden pain in the head where everything fades out from around them. That was a sensation that she had become all too familiar with thanks to the Echo. Could it be that G'raha also possessed the…?

"Well, well, this is rather unexpected," Unei said suddenly, now looking at G'raha with great interest, "Your right eye is the same as ours."

Well, now that she pointed it out, Claire realized that she was right. While G'raha's left eye was as bright a shade of green as her own, his left eye was the same shade of ruby red as these two? But what did that mean?

"The same?" G'raha gasped, his head jerking up and staring at them as if only just realizing this exact same truth, "You… you have the Allagan Eye as well? This sanguine hue is said to be a trait unique to the Allagans!" He continued to stare at them as if they held all the answers in the universe and before he seemed to realize it, he was quickly asking, "Yet I inherited it from my father, as he did from his. Only one child in a single generation is born with the eye. All my life, I have sought to learn the truth of its manifestation. If there is aught you know, I implore you to tell me!"

Claire was looking from G'raha to Unei and Doga, and then back again, wondering what they were all talking about. Allagan Eye? What did that mean? But it seemed that the two newcomers were just as confused as she was.

"My deepest apologies, but we have no answers for you," Doga said slowly, still in that calm voice as if nothing could surprise him, "Only one thing is certain: those who possess the trait are bound by fate to Allag. As your eye has placed you upon the path you walk, so too have we come here to fulfill our destiny. Absurd though it may sound, it is the truth."

Now she was really lost. Nor was she the only one. G'raha was looking as if he had just suffered one of the greatest disappointments of his life as he lowered his head. And for the first time since she met him, she could see the cheerful attitude fading completely so that he appeared to have aged right before her eyes.

She wanted to ask if he was alright, if there was something she could do to help, but he seemed able to snap himself out of it as he looked to the two of them, speaking in a little more businesslike tone.

"It seems to me we have naught to lose by accepting their aid," he offered, "What say you?"

Rammbroes didn't look happy, but he agreed, nodding as he told him, "If that is your wish, then so be it." Still, he turned his head to their guests as he added in a slight warning, "Yet know that I still mean to verify your story with the Students of Baldesion when I am able. I trust there will be no objections."

The two shook their heads, and Claire had the impression that they could have just been told to do a strip search for any hidden weapons and they wouldn't bat an eye.

But that wasn't what had her worried. She looked back to G'raha, feeling some sympathy for him. She wasn't fooled. She knew the real reason he wanted the two of them to remain… he had questions and he felt that these two may be the only ones who could answer them for him. Making a mental note to speak with him privately about this later, she turned back to Rammbroes, who was clearing his throat.

"Very well," Rammbroes called out officially, "As of this moment, I name Unei and Doga advisory members of NOAH. Without further ado, let us have them examine the Syrcus Tower entrance."

"I promise you'll not have cause to regret your decision," Doga promised, and for the first time she could see the shadow of a smile on his face.

Rammbroes looked to Claire, who was still suspicious, as he requested quietly, "Clare, I should be much obliged if you were to accompany our new friends to the tower. Biggs and Wedge are presently surveying the Eight Sentinels; the two of them can show you the way. Upon arrival, pray report to Master Garlond. He will brief you on the situation."

She could not help but wonder if he wanted her there just to ensure that they all made it to the tower in one piece, or if he wanted her to keep an eye on these two in case anything happened. Either way, she was curious to see where this road would take her and agreed. So she set off with Unei and Doga right behind her—as well as G'raha tagging along in their way.

"I shall join you, Claire," G'raha offered as they headed out together, "With Unei and Doga's knowledge, along with your uncanny knack for setting events in motion, I am hopeful that we will finally see progress."

"Are you alright?" Claire asked him worriedly as they crossed over the crystal-covered landscape. "Are you in any pain?"

"Hmm? Oh, no… it's nothing," he reassured her. "My eye was just hurting me for a moment, but it passed. There is no need to worry about me."

He then flashed her a toothy grin that did not quite reach his eyes, but she decided to let it go.

"If you ever want to talk…?" she offered slowly, "I'm always around to listen."

He was silent for a moment before his faced warmed up as he said quietly, "Thanks."

The rest of the walk continued on in silence for a time until they passed through the stone doorway and were on the path of the Eight Sentinels … or what was left of them. As they travelled along the road, they found Biggs and Wedge still looking over some of the destroyed statues. Claire honestly could not see what more they could gleam from these broken statues, but they were examining every piece with a spyglass just to make sure that they didn't miss anything.

As soon as they heard them approach, Biggs looked up and waved merrily at the sight of them.

"Well, if it isn't Claire!" Biggs laughed, "Eager to enter Syrcus Tower and kill everything in sight, no doubt. As I'm sure you've already heard, though, the place is locked up tight as a clam."

She smiled and waved back as she introduced them to their new guests, as well as asking how Cid was doing.

"…New friends from the Students, you say?" Biggs asked with interest, "Excellent! It's been slow going—or rather, no going—for the chief. He'll appreciate the help. Come on! I'll take you to him. He's been at the same place for days now."

So he led them up and through the cleared Labyrinth.

"Did you find anything else while exploring this place, my friends?" G'raha asked curiously as they reached the lift and climbed up onto the platform so that they could head towards the base of the tower.

"A lot of stuff, all of it baffling and seriously advanced," Biggs answered back.

"Yeah," Wedge added, "We can barely understand how even the smallest pieces work! Let alone something that can still function perfectly after all these years? Those Allagans sure knew how to build things that last, didn't they? At this rate, I don't think that we need to worry about anything falling here for another thousand years at least."

"That seems to be the problem though," Biggs added as they rode the lift and it came to a gentle stop. "Everything is working perfectly. Better than perfectly. Which is why it's so difficult to get inside the tower. There seems to be one more defense that the chief is having trouble trying to get around. So far he's tried everything… and believe me, I mean everything."

That didn't sound so hopeful. At this rate, she could forget ever having the chance to explore the tower herself. But she kept her mouth shut as Biggs led the way across the last malm of crystal and stone until they were just at the base of the tower at long last.

Claire looked up in wonder, marveling at not just the sheer size, but the beauty that sparkled down from above her. The tower was so tall that it looked like it could pierce the very heavens… no other structure in Eorzea seemed to be able to reach to such heights and she was just dying to know what was at the top and what the view would be like.

She had thought it impressive from a distance, but seeing it up close…? She could not help but feel a little intimidated. And it seemed that G'raha was just as struck by wonder as she was, for he was staring up with his eyes as wide as dinner plates, and his jaw hanging slightly open. As for Doga and Unei…? Their reaction as a little strange. Instead of looking astonished, or even a little impressed, they both looked as if they had been to this place a hundred times before.

Claire did not bring this up, but resolved to keep an eye on them, as they continued up another flight of stairs, and found themselves on the very doorstep of the Crystal Tower. They stood in front of a pair of elaborated doors that were lined with gold and crystal. It was enormous, large enough for a primal to walk right through, from what she could see, and Cid was standing right there staring up at it with his arms folded.

"Oy! Chief!" Biggs called, getting his attention. Cid turned to see who was here, and cracked a rather tired looking smile when he recognized them.

"Ah, some old faces to lift the spirits… and a couple of new ones besides," Cid said as he looked over them all, pausing only on Unei and Doga, where G'raha took the time to explain that they were scholars of Allag and were sent here to aid in their investigation from the Students of Baldesion.

"We understand you're having trouble circumventing the tower's defenses," Doga said politely and Unei nodded at his side, "'Tis our hope that we can be of some small assistance."

Cid actually looked a little embarrassed as he confessed, "If your attire is aught to go by, your assistance should prove invaluable indeed."

He then looked back to the door with no small amount of frustration as he explained, "To begin with, let me tell you where we stand. Beyond rises Syrcus Tower, the principal spire of the structure collectively known as the Crystal Tower. Having no success via more orthodox methods, I went at it with everything from a pickaxe to a magitek cannon. Nothing so much as put a scratch on it. For a blessing, the gate doesn't try to reduce us to ashes like the Eight Sentinels, but that doesn't make it any less effective a security measure. It's fiendishly frustrating in its simplicity."

Claire looked up to the doors as he pointed to the images carved upon it.

"The only clue we have is the elaborate device carved upon it: a man and a woman. Allagan royalty, by my judgement," he shrugged, sounding completely at a loss.

"Precisely who these individuals were, we cannot say," G'raha added with a frown, "Nor do we know whether the device actually serves a purpose. Like as not, it is purely decorative."

Somehow, she doubted that. She wasn't sure how that was, but she could not help but feel that there was a purpose for them. Perhaps it was her experience running through the Labyrinth of the Ancients, but she had come to see that though a lot of it is large and imposing, just about everything in that place had a purpose. And she was all but certain that this carving was a clue of some kind, though she knew not what it could be.

But rather than ask any more questions, Doga and Unei walked passed them all and stood in front to the doors, looking up at it.

"If you're thinking to force it, save your strength," Cid warned, "It's no use—just ask the calluses on my hands."

"Rest assured we do not mean to waste or strength," Unei promised as she looked back at them with a rather mysterious grin

"Indeed," Doga agreed, "Why should we exert ourselves… when the gate will open of its own accord?"

Claire was wondering what they meant when the pair held up their hands. It all happened at once, but suddenly the two doors were beginning to glow with the same aqua blue light that were generating from the two scholar's hands. She watched in awe as how the two didn't even have to touch the doors for something to happen… the doors began to shake as what looked like an electrical blue barrier went up the entire length of the doors before it sparkled and faded away. Once that was done, the two engraved images of the man and woman began to glow a bright blue, the same type of blue that she had seen in the Labyrinth before. That was when there was a deafening grinding noise that actually made the ground below her feet tremble slightly.

Her eyes widen as the doors finally cracked open, the locking mechanisms opening and falling away, as the rest of the door finally slid open to reveal a large room full of more stone and crystal. The noise died down and the two scholars lowered their hands once everything became still once again.

For a moment no one spoke.

"I…I don't think any of us expected that to happen…" G'raha choked out at last, as if unable to find anything else to say.

"Seven hells…" Cid finally gasped when he found his voice, and was staring at the two of them with a mixture of confusion and even a hint of fear. "What is this? What did you do? What… what are you?"

The two slowly looked back, not saying a word, and Claire could feel herself tensing up. She didn't like being lied to… she really didn't, and she just knew that these two were not at all who they first claimed to be. She could feel her hand running over the spine of the grimoire that hung at her side, wondering what to say.

But it seemed that someone else beat her to it.

"_Piercing the heavens and gathering the light, a symbol of mankind's glory and might_…" recited a voice and they looked up to see a figure was making their way towards them. "_Its virtue guarded by gates impregnable, only to those of royal blood answerable_." The voice then sighed dreamily as they finished, "…Exactly as passed down through legend, I am delighted to see."

Claire looked at him curiously before her eyes widen a little in surprise, recognizing those clothes. The same clothes that she had seen that strange man who had first told her that there was an expedition of the Crystal Tower. But he was now unmasked, revealing short blonde hair, an unshaven stubble, and a white 'third eye' upon his forehead as he grinned at them all.

"Beg pardons for interrupting your bewilderment," he said, "I couldn't help but notice the remarkable playthings you have acquired."

Now while she did not recognize him, Cid certainly did.

"N-Nero!?" Cid gasped, "You're still alive?"

Nero? Wait as Gaius's right hand man? She felt her jaw fall open slightly as she looked back at him, realizing that she had seen this man before. However he had been covered head to foot in bright red armor before and so she was getting her first glimpse of what he truly looked like.

"Garlond, Garlond," Nero sighed, as if disappointed in Cid for not suspecting as much before. "If I didn't know better, I would say you weren't happy to see me. Ah, but I jest. In light of our recent meetings, you have every right to be wary. But rest assured I am no longer a threat to you. My legion is for all intents and purposes defunct, and my association with it means a tight noose awaits me back in Garlemald. And so I've been roaming this land Eorzea, a regular itinerant. In the course of my wanderings, I chanced to catch wind of your latest venture. It sounded positively fascinating, and so I decided to come here and join you."

What? Just like that? After all that he had done before? He was the one who brought that damn Ultima Weapon back to life after all! Did he truly believe that they had forgiven and forgotten about his role in the subjection of Eorzea?

Now she was really aching for a fight.

"After the wrongs you committed?" Cid demanded, just as outraged as she felt, "You think us that gullible?"

"If you are suspicious of my intent, 'tis only my just deserts," Nero said as he turned his full attention to the two so-called scholars. "But I am determined to make amends. As a gesture of goodwill, I will share with you what I know… starting with these two odd characters."

Claire paused as she listened very carefully as he explained, "As you are doubtless already aware, the Crystal Tower was the symbol of ancient Allag's might and prosperity. Entry was permitted only to royalty and a select few individuals. According to the records I have unearthed, only royal blood can open the gate. In other words, the emperor and his progeny were living keys."

"You mean to say that these two are descended from Allagan royalty?" G'raha asked in wonder.

"Oh, I suggest nothing so glamorous," Nero shrugged with a laugh, "To put it plain, they are _imitations_ of royalty—living keys born of Allagan ingenuity. 'Clones', I believe, is the name your creators gave your kind. Is that not so?"

Clones? What in the world was he talking about? But as she looked to Doga and Unei, neither of them denied what he was saying. Instead, the two looked at each other before they lowered their heads, as if in shame.

"'Twould seem that the time for concealment is past," Doga said quietly. But he wasn't looking at Nero or anyone else… his eyes were drawn just to her and he was gazing ahead into her eyes with the same amount of interest that Nero was giving him and Unei.

"Pray accept our apologies. 'Twas not our intent to deceive," he said to her, "We simply wished to avoid causing undue alarm by prematurely making what many would consider deranged claims."

Unei then looked up and forced a smiled as she added sheepishly, "If it please you, let us return to the Eight Sentinels. There is much and more to tell."

Claire gazed back at them, not sure of what it was that she should say or what the smart thing was to do here. All she knew was that whatever these two wanted… it had something to do with her. Of that, she was all but certain of it. She could feel them all looking at her as she scanned each one of their faces, realizing that they were letting her decide what to do here. In the end, she gave a smile to G'raha, whom she figure was the most likely to back up her decision, and nodded. If nothing else, they would at least hear these two out before deciding where to go from here.

G'raha smiled back and said, "Very well."

So then, very slowly, she watched as everyone began to file away from the door, heading back down the stairs. G'raha led the way with Biggs and Wedge right behind, though the two of them seemed to be fascinated as well as fearful of Doga and Unei, who were right behind them. Which left her alone with Cid and Nero.

Though Nero had already turned and was making ready to follow after the rest of them when Cid asked coldly, "Seven hells, do you seriously mean to follow us around?"

Nero looked back as if wondering what the problem was.

"Come, Garlond," he said, "You know me better than to think that I spoke in jest. What more will it take for you to reconciled? A gift, perhaps?"

And from his pocket he pulled out another tomestone and looked over it fondly before holding it out to him. Cid accepted it, though he never took his eyes off Nero, just expecting to be backstabbed.

"An Allagan tomestone," Nero explained, "It holds the information I just shared with you, and a deal more besides. It used to be the jealously guarded property of the XIVth Legion, but it's yours now. I wish you joy of it."

Claire bit her lower lip, now at a complete lost to what was going on. The Nero she ran into before had taken the time to mention how much he hated Cid and how he was the smarter of the two. So what was he thinking doing here? What was he up to? She looked over at Cid, hoping he could give her some kind of clue to what was going through Nero's mind… but he looked as lost as how she felt.

"I look forward to working together, old friend," Nero said, pretending not to notice the tension in the air, and left.

The two of them looked at each other and then back at Nero's retreating back.

"Cid…?" she began slowly as Cid shook his head, not sure of what else to say.

"Just… don't take your eyes off him," he warned, "Nero is most dangerous when you don't take him seriously."

She nodded back as they walked on together, heading back to the gate that would take one directly into the Labyrinth. That was where they had the most perfect view of the tower in the distance, and found Doga and Unei there waiting for them.

Once everyone was gathered around, the two looked at each of them before making a surprising request.

"If you are ready to listen, we shall tell you all," Doga stated. "As it pertains closely to your instigation, your leader, Rammbroes, may wish to be present.

"Already taken care of," Cid assured them, having called the man on their way back here with his linkpearl. It was only a few minutes later did the man lumber his way up the steps, panting slightly.

"Apologizes if I kept you all waiting," Rammbroes called, "I'm not as young as I once was. Is there aught any trouble?"

They quickly filled him in on the situation, including how they were able to open up the front doors of the Crystal Chamber, the fact that Nero was here, and just who—or rather—what their guests were. Rammbroes's jaw fell open, looking at each of them as if they had been drinking or had fallen and hit their heads.

Once everyone was caught up, they turned back to the 'clones' and waited.

"Before we begin, pray allow me to apologize again," Doga said seriously, "It was not our intent to deceive you. As you will have already gathered, we are not scholars sent by the Students of Baldesion. Nay, we are 'clones'—copies of people who once existed, given life through Allagan technology."

"This is rather a lot to take in…" Rammbroes said slowly. Well, that's putting it all mildly. Claire still had no idea what these 'clone' things were and was trying to wrap her mind around the idea of making such copies of people.

"If it would not be considered unseemly, might I ask why you and yours were created?" Rammbroes asked slowly, "And more specifically, what it is that you now seek to do?"

"Answering your questions requires that we revisit Allagan history," Doga said, "Pray bear with us."

"The Allagan Empire reached its zenith long before our kind came into being," Unei explained next, speaking as a teacher would to a class of students, "In that glorious age, the Crystal Tower stood tall as the symbol of Allagan pride. Parents took their children there, that they might learn how the nigh-limitless energy it produced brought prosperity to the whole empire."

She looked to the tower behind them as they all followed her gaze.

"That prosperity, however bred decadence, and the empire began to show signs of stagnation," Doga went on, "This decline was made all the more rapid for want of strong leadership. In a matter of generations, the Allagan civilization became a pale shadow of its former self. Its once gleaming cities fell into disrepair, and the frontier lands were given over to the wilderness."

Leadership again…? Perhaps this had been the driving force behind the Black Wolf's declarations that only a strong leader should lead the weak. Especially if such an advanced civilization such as Allag could decline because of that.

"Lamenting the pitiful state of affairs, one technologist made it his mission to restore Allag to greatness," Unei added softly. "Amon was his name, and he believed that the ailing empire wanted for but a potent ruler. And none was more potent than its founding father, whom he sought to resurrect."

Ressurect? Wasn't that a bit over dramatic? Surely they could have found another person to rule if the current emperor wasn't up to the task? That had to be easier than trying to raise the dead? She did not see the reasoning behind this.

"The founding father?" G'raha gasped, "You cannot mean Emperor Xande!?"

"None other," Unei answered with a nod, "As part of his experiments, Amon created clones of the emperor's descendants. We are the products of that experiment—copies of Unei and Doga."

So not the real ones… just copies of the original descendants of Unei and Doga. But then… how did they end up here? Clones aside, surely they were not immune to aging, were they?

"Historical texts mention the reigns of two Allagan emperors named Xande," Rammbroes brought up. "It was commonly believed that the second was the namesake of the first. After all, such a custom is not uncommon among royalty and commoners alike. To think that the two were in fact one and the same…"

"Aye," Unei confirmed, eager that they were listening so carefully, "Xande returned from the grave and assumed his throne once more. And true to Amon's prediction, the emperor restored his realm to the glory it once knew. Would that he could have been satisfied with that…"

"What happened?" Claire could not help but ask them, having a vague idea to where this story was going to end up—especially with how grimly they spoke of Xande.

"In his previous life, the emperor desired to bring the entire world under Allagan dominion—an ambition that ultimately went unfulfilled," Doga explained sadly, "Having been granted a second chance, he was determined to succeed. Realizing that he needed more power to wage his war of conquest, Xande turned his sights towards a forbidden source: darkness. In order to learn how to harness this power, he converted the Crystal Tower into a restricted research facility."

Why was she not surprised?

But why consort with darkness? The way she saw it, Allag was so highly advanced that she suspected that they could have crafted all manner of weapons. At least, judging by the security system they had just for the tower was anything to go by.

"Darkness… again?" Cid groaned, "Seven hells, what is it with megalomaniacal rulers turning to darkness in their lust for power?" He sounded ready to go into a rant and rave… at least until he caught his tongue and took a deep breath before finishing, "Well, at least this one won't be bothering us, being thousands of year's dead and all."

"Would that you were right, Master Garlond," Doga said and she arched an eyebrow.

Ok, clones were one thing, but how could their Emperor still be…?

The two slowly turned their backs on them and set their gazes back towards the tower, shining almost innocently.

"Alas, Emperor Xande is very much alive," Doga sighed, "Within Syrcus Tower he still abides, his ambition burning all the more ardently for his empire's collapse."

How? Why…?

"Wielding the power of darkness requir3es prodigious amount of energy—energy that not even the Crystal Tower could produce," Doga explained before she could voice her questions, "In order to augment the shortfall, Dalamud was created and launched into the heavens. On high it hung, gathering the sun's energy and channeling it to the tower below. However, a miscalculation resulted in a surge of energy that escaped into the land. This triggered an earthquake of unprecedented violence—the calamity that ushered in the Fourth Umbral Era. In the blinking of an eye, the mighty Allagan Empire was laid to waste. Yet even as the Crystal tower was sinking into the earth, the technologist Amon, now Emperor's Xande's closest aide, invoked powerful magicks and halted the flow of time. Every soul within the structure, the emperor included, was placed in a deep slumber. In that state they were to remain until the time was ripe to awaken."

Well, that explains some of their problems. It sounded like Allag was responsible for not just one, but two different Calamities because of their toys. So Xande caused the earthquake that all but destroyed his empire, and left Dalamud in the sky, containing a bitter primal, that would one day nearly destroy Eorzea. This story was just getting better and better. She would have to inform Alisaie about this and see if it could help with their other expedition in the Binding Coils.

"Eras came and went," Unei continued with the story, "After millennia lying dormant, Dalamud was summoned back to the earth. Its descent triggered the Seventh Umbral Calamity, in the wake of which the Crystal Tower reemerged. At that moment, Emperor Xande awakened."

So what was he going to do now? She doubted that he would have been happy to wake up only to discover everything that he once knew and loved was forever gone?

"In his lust for power, the emperor consorted with darkness and was seduced by its corrupting influence," Unei sighed, her eyes downcast, "Even though his empire is now little more than a fading memory, he will stop at nothing to see his ambition realized."

It took a while for this news to sink in.

Talk about holding a grudge. One would think he would have given up after seeing what his lust for power brought upon his people before. You would think that the death of his people would be enough for him?

On one hand, she felt pity for Xande, understanding that he had no say in the fact that he was brought back to life. But that was no excuse for what he was planning now. Just what would be the point? Why would he continue on when he had nothing left?

"'Tis for no other purpose but to put an end to Xande's madness that we exit," Unei summed up for them simply, "This is the mantle we have inherited from our namesakes—the true Unei and Doga." She raised her hand over her chest to where her heart was and finished by admitting, "Fearing what might befall the world, the two of them sought to thwart their emperor. They gave unto us their will, that we might carry on their mission should they fail."

"When we came to our senses within the Crystal Tower, we deliberated a course of action," Doga exclaimed, "Concluding that we alone could not overcome Xande, we struck out to find a worthy ally. It has taken years, but our search is finally over."

Oh, now she understood everything. Or rather, the important parts.

And when they looked at her, she all but had to fight a sigh when she realized what they were about to ask of her.

"'Tis no ordinary woman who can cut a path through the Labyrinth of the Ancients," Doga said with a tone that held nothing but respect, "With you as our champion, Claire Faye, we are confident that we can end Xande's dark ambition once and for all."

She was silent for a moment as she thought this all over. Really? She thought that her mission was all but finished. She stopped the Black Wolf and the Ultima Weapon… she did not think that it would get worse than that. Sure she had been called in to deal with a few primals since then, but they were all being taken care of.

Now that she looked back, perhaps it was foolish to think that her mission would ever be 'over'. But she had been hoping for some good times and excitement in exploring the tower, not saving the world.

"Well, that'll teach me for speaking too soon…" Cid actually chuckled, "Setting my chagrin aside, I see now why you knew about the Students of Baldesion among a host of other things—you were observing out investigation the whole time." He looked to Claire and asked, "So, what will we do, Claire? The worlds' in grave danger again, and it just so happens you're an expert at saving it."

Well, nothing else for it.

"We help of course," she decided, realizing that she would get her chance to explore the tower, at the very least. But it was enough to get cheers coming from Biggs and Wedge, as well as big grins from practically everyone else.

"You have our eternal gratitude," Doga said gratefully with a bow, "Together, let us see the Allagan Empire's dark past laid to rest."

Right, so… where do they go from here? Rammbores seemed to be thinking along the same lines as he nodded to his own thoughts.

"It has been our mission to recover the long-lost knowledge of the Allagan civilization," Rammbroes said, "But what worth is that knowledge if it means subjecting the realm to peril? Truth be told, it pains me to think that the tower's secrets may become lost to us, but the greater good must ever come first."

True, if there were any weapons inside that tower, including this supposed 'power of darkness' that could threaten the people, they would have little choice but to seal up the tower until they thought of another solution.

"Besides, no quantity of ancient relics can compare to our friends Unei and Doga—living breathing Allagans," Rammbores added as he looked to their new friends with a new amount of respect and interest. And she could already see the questions that were beginning to form in his mind to what he would ask them first about the Allagan Empire. "And so I hereby declare a change in NOAH's objective. Henceforth, we shall direct all efforts towards sealing off Syrcus Tower. Its dark secrets must never know the light of day."

There was no need to take a vote, for everyone was of like mind. Now came the part of their plan… which was unsurprisingly easy.

"Claire, as you did for us within the Labyrinth of the Ancients, I would have you enter the structure and eliminate hostile elements," Rammbores declared, "Suffice it to say this includes Emperor Xande himself."

She could live with that… hopefully.

"Meanwhile, the rest of us shall examine ways to isolate Syrcus Tower from the outside world," Rammbroes added to everyone else, who leapt to attention, "To work, then!"

So they all set off, excitement rising in them all as they were getting ready to storm the tower. Claire watched them all go fondly before she turned back to Unei and Doga, ready to ask what sort of traps or monsters she would be facing. She wanted to know as much about the tower as possible before going in there. But that was when she noticed the concern on G'raha's face and she found herself pausing as he tried to find the words to speak.

"Wait," he finally said, "There is something I must know. My right eye is like yours. Does… does this mean…?"

"You inherited the trait from your father, you said," Doga reassured him, knowing what he wanted to say, "Know that clones are unable to bear offspring. You have no cause for concern."

So G'raha wasn't the descendant of a clone then, which had to be a good thing, right?

"The Allgan Eye, you called it, but to us it is the Royal Eye, owing to the fact that the trait manifests only in those possessed of royal blood," Doga finished for him as he continued to gaze at him with that polite curiosity, as if G'raha was an interesting puzzle he had yet to figure out.

If that was true, was it possible then that G'raha had Allagan royalty in his blood? It certainly seemed possible to her, at the very least.

G'raha didn't look that much comforted, instead looking as lost as she felt about this whole thing.

But Doga just continued to look on kindly as he finished, "I cannot well explain why the eye runs in your line, but I am disinclined to think it a coincidence. Though you are doubtless impatient to learn the truth, pray have patience. All will be revealed in due time."

Hopefully by reaching the top and finishing off this Emperor Xande would be enough to help all three of them find a measure of peace. G'raha reached up to touch his eye, still looking concerned, but he nodded, letting the matter go for now.

"You alright?" she asked him, placing a hand on his shoulder, all but feeling the concern washing off him.

"My apologies if I've given you cause to worry," G'raha said to her, "I am quite well, I assure you. As you can appreciate, there has been much for me to think on. But now is the time for action, not idle thoughts. Syrcus Tower awaits us!"

They could agree on that much.

"Your task is to eliminate all hostile elements within the structure, Xande himself included,' G'raha stated, punching his fists together, "This will afford us the chance to seal off the facility. May the Crystal grant you strength!"


	4. The Sycrus Tower

**Chapter 4: The Crystal Tower**

It wasn't beautiful inside the tower…

It was breathtakingly gorgeous.

Sparkling blue and crystals shown all around her as she stepped up towards the entrance hall where there were winged staircases that led to the upper levels while everything was cast in a brilliantly blue light. Taking a deep breath, she ran upwards, taking one of the staircases and felt herself winding her way around the crystalline walls.

She had a quick talk with Doga and Unei before she entered, who gave her some advice to what would be waiting for her. And she had to admit… she wasn't looking forward to it.

When she reached the next landing, she stopped dead when she saw what was waiting for her. There was a large green dragon, along with several strange figures and serpents that moved almost robotically upon the platform of stone and crystal—as if they had been waiting for her.

To say she was outnumbered would be an understatement. Snakes fired down ice while the suits of armor swung their blades at her and the dragon snapping it's mighty jaws as if hoping to swallow her whole in one bite. She took the serpents down first to prevent their ice and water based spells from doing any more harm… followed by the man-like figures… and leaving the dragon for last.

She was already panting by the time the great brute fell, it's head twisting violently around as she leapt over its lifeless body and continued onwards when she saw how the stairs rose up to continue the path for her.

She continued up to the next level where she heard the sounds of rushing water. As she stepped up to the solid platform and looked around, she found something there waiting for her amidst the crystal within this enormous room. Once they were down the stairs rose up in front of her and she followed the twin staircases up even higher into the tower. After a while she came to the next level where she could see waterfalls. That was when she spotted it. That must be Scylla.

Doga had warned that Scylla had once been a great mage… if somewhat frightening in appearance. Well, he wasn't wrong about that. For in the long, flowing robe, there were many different heads of what looked to be wolves, each one with a slavering mouth and was leaving trails of foamy saliva as they howled hungrily.

"My hounds hunger for man-flesh!" the heads shrieked as she ran at them and sparks of lighting rained down from three separate platforms. Scylla spawned glowing staffs throughout the fight, which cast annoying attacks that dealt damage if she was standing too far away from it. more of a nuisance than an actual serious threat.

So she readied herself for the worst as the hounds heads all snapped at her; but the biggest threat was how the very elements turned against her in this fight. So she danced about, trying to avoid the lightning and ice that threated to attack her while lightning rained down.

_"My hounds hunger for manflesh,"_ Scylla howled.

The balls of energy were the biggest pain. Random balls of aether would appear and she had to remember how to deal with every single one of them. The ones of ice, which were a bright blue color, trailed after her and if she allowed them to touch her, they would freeze her as a solid statue of ice for a time. Thankfully, she quickly found out that the red flame balls, which not only chase you, they can also explode, but they could also be used to thaw one out after they are frozen… not only that but it left behind patches of water which could be used for her to take the fire damage.

And finally that left with the purple lightning balls, which she quickly found that running them to the lightning pillars stationed around the room could energize the pillar. Those that were absorbed by the pillars would then cast powerful damage and was very painful. So that was what she had to deal with for the first part of the fight.

_"Lightning of darkness, smite mine enemies!"_

She could tell that she was really starting to anger Scylla at this point and she had to fight the urge to laugh at that as the hounds heads all roared out in exasperation of being denied their first meal in the last few thousand years.

_"You think me aberration, do you!?" _Scylla demanded, _"Denials are futile—I can smell your vile thoughts!"_

And she summoned up more creatures to fight for her in the forms of Oceanus. Overall this fight was confusing and extremely hectic, reminding her greatly of the battles from within in the Labyrinth of the Ancients.

But at last, she managed to get in close enough to deal the final blow and strike Scylla down. But as she did so, she could hear the eternal guard sigh, almost longingly, _"The hounds… grow silent… Finally… I may rest."_

"Rest then," she whispered, pausing for only a moment to pray for this lost soul before she continued onwards. More stairs appeared the moment that Scylla had fallen, guiding her up ever higher into the rest of the tower. With every step she took, she could see even more crystal surrounding her and she suspected that she must be reaching near the halfway point soon enough. But when she came up to another landing, she skidded to a stop to see the forms of three Acheron's waiting for her. They were much smaller and not as dangerous-looking as the one she fought before in the Labyrinth… but they still had a small army of floating green creatures right behind them.

"I'm starting to think that you guys don't want me to go anywhere," she could not help as she stepped forward, getting their full attention.

Seriously, who sits around thinking up these creatures? And things only got worse when another large dragon flew in from above and forced her to dance around as people appeared out of nowhere. At first she thought that her friends had managed to catch up to her… but when she looked around, she saw that there were half a dozen faces of Doga and Unei looking back… they were dressed in the same style of clothing that the two friends she just met wore, but they were a bright red color with glowing red eyes.

These must be more of these 'clones' here to stop her. She didn't feel right doing it, but judging from how much they were fighting to get through, they weren't going to give her any other options but for her to finish them off if she wanted to go any further. Not that it was easy trying to deal with fighting a dragon while there were spells raining down on her.

She couldn't help the feelings of guilt that welled up inside her as she was forced to leave the empty clones behind and raced for the stairs. Those feelings now so strong that she could no longer enjoy the beauty of the tower with every step she took up those spiraling stairs.

Up and up the stairs she went as more crystal clouded her vision, swearing that it was glowing brighter. That was when she came to another strange platform with more devices that made little sense to her—along with a series of floating crystal islands and no more stairs. She couldn't have reached the top yet… so what was this all about? She looked around the floating platforms, which included one very large one in the center, with a ring of much smaller stages that surrounded it.

As she stepped up closer to the ledge to look on, her feet touched a glowing platform set in the floor and she was sent flying. She let out a hastily stifled gasp as she slowly feel and landed up on the large platform where her next foe was waiting for her. This foe reminded her a great deal of the first giant she came across in the Labyrinth… for he was just as large and covered in muscles as he turned his blank eyes towards her.

"Beware of one of the guards of the tower," Unei's voice suddenly entered her mind from their talk earlier. "His name is Glasya Labolas… another incarnation of a heroes of eld."

So… this had to be him?

_"You who would bare steel against the emperor," _he growled,_ "You shall not pass so long as I draw breath!"_

"Let's find out," she whispered and stepped forward.

_"Activating support protocol…"_ he called, and the tower seemed to be listening as it glowed brillantly, _"Charging energy stores!"_

And he summoned up these strange clockwork creations to be killed off, the problem was trying to fight them from outside the barriers where she was stunned inside.

_"Ignorant savages!" _Glasya Labolas cried out,_ "You will rue the day you set foot within this tower!"_

The whole fight happened on the circular central platform with the smaller platforms all connected by the one-way launch pads. The usual ground attacks were easy to dodge, but it was when he summoned the clockwork wights that proved to be the first problem. They formed a line to Glasya and were either able to draw power from him or give him more power.

_"Activating defense protocol… be it steel or sorcery, your weapons shall not avail you!"_

With the clockwork squires, they spawned with six energy nodes that caused Glasya to reflect all magical and physical damage so long as they were connected to him. It wasn't easy figuring out a way to deal with the squires until she realized that they had to be connected by the power lines.

Some more clockwork creatures rose up, larger and stronger than the previous ones. But there were only three. And that was when she saw the glowing devices that were connected to them by strands of energy. She brought them down before they could power up their master.

But he was powering up.

_"Energy stores replenished…" _he said,_ "In the name of Emperor Xande, I shall annihilate you!"_

She could feel the blast about to come and knew she had to get out of there now before it was too late. That was when she realized that the launch pads around the ring of the platform were glowing and she took her chance. Rather than try to guard herself she sprinted to the nearest one and was launched off the platform and to one of the many smaller stages set up around her.

She crouched down low as she felt the heat of the blast of power was over her. She avoided the attack, but she could see that the platform was covered with a dark red energy and thought better than to go back at the moment. Speaking of which…

More machines rose up the platforms and she resolved to jump to each of them and kill them all. Especially since they were threatening to blow up. So she went to each and every single one to kill each one off.

_"Ignorant savages! You will rue the day you set foot within this tower!"_

When she finished the last of her mechanical pests, she saw that the platform was back to normal and returned to finish the fight. It was a hell storm of attacks and she felt like she was losing her mind as she had to keep moving round to get anywhere.

But at last she ducked down from the punching fists and rammed a sharpened spear upwards and right through the jaw of her foe and through his head…

_"That my defenses… could be breached…" _was all he could say as he finally fell… and she could have sworn she heard a sigh of relief.

She hoped he found a measure of peace now.

She leapt over his still form and continued up the next flight of sparkling steps. She must be past the halfway point by now… at least she hoped so.

Oh great.

The next platform held what looked like fire Azers waiting for her, each a bright red color and roaring out with fire and smoke on their breath. They were bad enough but they had to add in a crimson red dragon over their heads?

Really? Who keeps these things around a tower like this?

No time to wonder about that though, she had to step on these guys first. So she killed the Azer first while the dragon continued to fly around, firing fireballs down on them and swooping down to run her over. She spun and ducked as the Azers were now roaring with rage as she cut them each down. By the time the third hit the ground, the dragon landed to deal with them in person just as more guards appeared, this time in the form of some sort of lizard-like creatures she did not know what to call them.

This was getting irritating.

Still, once they were all dead, which took longer than she would have liked, she continued onwards, wondering who would be next.

She got her answer right away when she felt her feet leave the crystal ground as she ran up a deep red carpet and the room seemed to grow slightly darker. She blinked as she reached another platform and stared around, almost feeling that she had stepped into a theatre of some sorts—that was the sense she got from the fine furniture and deep red curtains that hung about the walls.

Which means…?

She looked to the next platform to where her next foe was waiting for her.

This was Amon?

_"He was a genius inventor," Doga had warned her before. "And it was through his experiments did he find a way to bring Emperor Xande back. And who knows what he had created since he has awoken?"_

Claire could not see his face for he was dressed in many layers of bright clothes of every color and pattern imaginable. He was covered head to foot in such fine garments, with even a mask that covered his face that reminded her of a skull's face.

But he was certainly no pushover.

He had three main spells that he casts and that she needed to watch out for. Blizzard Forte which centered on Amon and does large damage plus heavy. Thunder Forte which is cast on a patch of the ground underneath her feet, and can overlap for massive damage and electrocution over times if it hit her. And finally, Firaga Forte, which is a room wide blast but not as damaging as the other two spells.

She could feel the ice cut her when he called forth some slimes to him. The project of some sort of experiment, she was sure of it.

When the slimes reached Amon, they caused room wide debuffs, such as pacification or silence… and she had to learn to kill them or stun them before they reached that point. Then there was when he spawned the purple orb which tethered to her and when it struck, she shrank down… all the while the ghouls launched themselves at her.

This guy was sick in the end. Who thinks up these things?

Thankfully the shrink was short-lived, and she was back up as she continued on. The only one that was even more annoying was the frog spell. Which turned her into a giant frog and she had to hop around to avoid getting hit before it wore off. The giant snakes all hissed and went for her as they tried to eat her in frog form.

She parried his attacks as she could feel the cold cutting into her. Now he called forth fire to rain down on her as spotlights appeared, with balls of dark energy flying towards her and more creatures that reminded her of some skeletal creatures reaching for her.

Still, after fighting the ghouls, she turned back to face the giant snakes that slithered up to take the ghoul's place. It was a battle that she knew not where to attack first for every time she brought one down, something else would rise to take the place. Eventually, she could feel her entire body being frozen. And she watched on in horror as the ice rose up and covered her body.

It was freezing and she ached to break out. But she could feel something else coming and held on. She gritted her teeth as she felt fire licking at her barrier as he cried out:_ "That will do for the opening act. Let the curtains rise for the main attraction!"_

Once again, her instincts proved themselves right, knowing that her prison was what protected her from the blaze of the fire and even melted the chunks of ice so that she could break out. She then dodged around and continued to weave in and out of shot as she ducked and spun.

He had a lot of strength and she was getting irritated at how stubborn this giant of a man was at the moment. But she had plenty of time and wasn't afraid to go all night if she had to. It seemed that Amon was not aware of this fact and his cocky attitude quickly faded to fear when he realized that she refused to go down… not until she stuck her weapon in the right place.

_"Inconceivable…"_ Amon cried in agony and fell over until he was a pile of robes on the floor, _"Beware, your Majesty… Danger approaches…"_

Ah, so she had to be almost to Xande now.

"Thanks for letting me know," she whispered as she continued upwards when the stairs completed themselves and allowed her to go on. All the while she was bracing herself for what she knew was waiting for her.

Now feeling the effects of all her battles starting to take its tool, she climbed the stairs. She had to be near the top by now, she was almost sure of it. And when she emerged from the dark hallways, she could feel fresh air and sunlight hitting her face and she knew that she finally did make it there. She breathed in the fresh air gratefully as she came out onto an impossibly long walkway—where at the other end sat a beautiful throne that looked to be made of green crystal. But as she approached, her eyes were drawn to the man sitting upon it… an enormous man draped with robes and jewelry; with vast powerful muscles that seemed to be straining just to hold his strength in.

As soon as he felt her presence, he opened up his glowing, blank eyes as they glared at her.

_"You fight valiantly, mortal, but to no avail,"_ he said as he finally stood from his throne, no longer willing to play this game.

She felt her hand brush over her own weapon as she blinked and he vanished…

…only to appear a moment later directly in front of her with a mighty, glowing staff already held aloft.

_"Absolute darkness draws nigh. Soon it will be unleashed, and all shall return to nothingness!"_

"Not on my watch," she sighed. She faced Xande in the middle of the arena and she soon found out that most of his attacks were the standard 'don't stand here' including the golden orbs that exploded around her if they weren't neutralized.

He would bring his staff down upon her as he swiped with his long and giant hands. Miniature explosions sounded off as she felt energy attack ran down. But just as she was starting to make progress, Xande hovered a few feet off the ground before he disappeared. Claire, who was in mid-attack at the time, almost ended up falling forward onto her face when her attack went through nothing. She steadied herself and stared around, catching him reappearing upon his throne. He then leaned back and lounged around as she felt a stab of anger.

_"Mine is the power of darkness! Even the stars must bend to my will!"_ he cried and held up his staff as circles appeared around her as they called down meteors.

Of course… he couldn't have brought half the world under his rule by sitting on a throne all day. Well, if experience taught her anything, the attractors had to be destroyed to prevent them from falling… and so she raced around to them all and saw them all smashed to pieces.

When he saw that this didn't work like he thought, Xande reappeared on the battlefield once more. And that was when he caused another ominous black aura around her, which she was guessing wasn't a good thing. So she had to take the damage just as she felt the null gravity leave her feet off the ground. She was standing on air, and she remained there just as she felt Xande cause the ground to crack and shake.

She wasn't sure how long the battle lasted, only that she could feel her muscles screaming in protest as she weaved around the battlefield taking all the damage she could take while fighting off more meteors. Slowly but surely though, she felt that she was getting somewhere when Xande roared at her, his hands now shaking with either exhaustion or anger as they swiped at her.

Finally, after over an hour of dodging the worst of his attacks did she feel that they were ticking down to the final moments. And indeed, the damage he had taken over the course of the battle was finally enough for him as he fell to his knees.

_"My defeat… means nothing…"_ he hissed, his glowing eyes glaring at her with silent fury, _"Darkness… shall devour all…"_

And with no small amount of satisfaction, she watched how he fell forward and shattered into dark aether and she wiped her sweat from her brow as she sighed in relief.

That was one hell of a run.

She sighed as she returned her weapon to her side and cast her gaze to the now empty gem throne. She stared at it for a moment, though she wasn't sure what it was that drew her attention first. That was when she felt it… a surge of energy… a dark presence that was all but pulsating from in front of her.

She knew not how she knew, just that it felt as if something was watching her… as if they just knew that she had just slew Xande. But as she made to take a step forward to investigate…?

"Claire!"

She turned round to see that Cid and the others made it up in one piece. G'raha looked particularly excited as he punched his fists together.

"You did it!" he cried joyously, "You defeated Emperor Xande!"

"Ah… yeah…" she panted slightly, moving a lock of sweaty hair to tuck behind her ear. "Glad I could help."

"Empires may rise and fall, but man's indefatigable spirit ever lives on," Doga smiled and nodded, "Truly you are the champion we had hoped for, Claire Faye. With Emperor Xande now at eternal rest, his dark legacy may be undone."

So it was over then. They just had to do… whatever it was that they were going to do and it would be the end of this whole matter with Xande's ambitions. That was a relief, in and of itself. She sighed, now thinking longingly of the hot bowl of stew that could be waiting for her back at the Find while the others began to look about the tower.

As they did, she suddenly noticed Nero, who was back in the same crimson red armor that he battled with her once before—minus his helm. He didn't seem to be too interested in the tower though as he took a small device in his hands and was holding it up to examine it.

"What are you playing at now, Nero?" Cid questioned him, who also noticed his presence and his lack of interest in examining the tower.

"In case you haven't noticed, Garlond, these are dangerous surrounds," Nero reminded him, not even bothering to look up at him. "Can a man be faulted for exercising due caution?" He lowered the device and sighed, "At any rate, you needn't mind me. I am perfectly capable of looking after myself. Go on and finish what you came to do."

Cid didn't look happy allowing Nero to look about them, but with more important things to look into he didn't bring it up. The rest of them turned back to Doga and Unei, who took center stage and prepared to explain how best they could seal the tower off.

"There are two ways that we may seal of Syrcus Tower: either isolate it from the outside world, or cripple its ability to produce energy," Unei explained. "The choice of method is yours to make. Before you proceed, however, Doga and I must needs attend to a task."

They both looked at each other and nodded before turning their attention to the pulsing mark that Claire felt earlier, and looked up to see that the pulsations had now grown to a speck of dark aether that hovered above the throne. She felt chills going up her spine just looking at it.

They slowly approached as G'raha asked them with a hint of unease, "That distortion… what is it?"

Now that they were here, she was dying to know that herself… but she had a feeling she was going to regret finding out the answer. And sure enough…?

"The power that Xande sought to obtain comes from the void—the World of Darkness, our people called it," Unei confessed softly, never taking her eyes off it. "And the true nature of that power was none other than the armies of voidsent."

The void… she had heard of that place before from her studies in thaumaturgy… even fought more than her fair share of monsters from that place. But otherwise, she knew precious little else about the place.

"Voidsent feed on aether, as you may already know, and no plane is richer in it than ours," Doga explained solemnly. "In exchange for their allegiance, Xande entered into an unholy covenant. He would open a gate through which the voidsent could freely enter our world. The covenant, I'm afraid to say, is still in effect. However, being of the emperor's lineage, Unei and I believe that we can annul it."

They looked back up at it, and she was certain that everyone could feel that cold sense of unease the seemed to pulse from that black aether.

"By his blood Xande sealed his dark pack," Doga finished, "By our blood it shall be undone." He then looked to Unei and finished, "It is time."

"Yes, Doga," she smiled, "Finally, we may fulfill our purpose."

What were they going to do? She watched on worriedly as the two held up their hands, just like how they did when they first unlocked the front doors, as she could see how their powers were now flooding out and towards the rift.

That was when she heard a strange noise behind her. She looked back with the others, expecting some other defense of the tower to come rushing at them… but instead, she realized that the buzzing noise was coming from the device in Nero's hands… was now cooing over it. She could see how his eyes lit up and pure joy seemed to radiate from every part of the man as he began to cackle and laugh at… whatever the device was meant to do.

"Oh, be still my beating heart," he cried in ecstasy. "For a moment, I feared that this outing would end in disappointment, but my readings were not mistaken! Not even the Ultima Weapon compares to this!"

Doga and Unei both turned to see what he was talking about as Cid demanded, speaking the very same words that were on her mind, "What are you going on about?"

But then there was a loud rumble coming from the rift as it began to grow louder and larger. They all looked back, startled to see that the small rift was not three times its size… and a terrifying voice hissed from within…

_"The covenant… it is everlasting…"_

That was when it fluxed with power and it burst open. It was enormous as they stared up at it, too stunned to speak. Just then, more clones, like the ones she faced on the floors below, appeared and surrounded them. Their eyes all glowing bright red as if they were trying to bore within her very soul.

That was when the old familiar pain struck at her head.

No… not now! Not the Echo again! Couldn't it wait when they weren't in danger?! But it was too late. The last thing she saw was the clone of Doga's grinning face and blazing red eyes as everything faded from around her… and she was gone.

_*Echo*_

_She was kneeling before a throne as her king sat above her, awaiting his commands. She did not understand why he always seemed too grim and empty to her… just as empty as the rest of them._

_"And so Meracydia is brought into the fold," their emperor sighed, "Soon, all of the world shall be united under Allagan rule."_

_If that was what her king desires then she would see it come true. _

_"And yet…" the king finished sadly, a tone that was as almost as robotically as some of Lord Amon's creations, "With every dream that becomes reality, the memory of death grows ever more vivid—an endless void, bereft of light and warmth. Though I may have defeated death, it did not leave me unscathed. Nay, its revering claws have scarred my soul for eternity. Never shall I know peace."_

_What would you have me do?_

_She wanted to ask, but he did not command her to do so. So she watched him through her blank eyes, wondering what he would next command her for._

_He finally opened his eyes and gazed down at her with disinterest as he sighed, "Being without will. You cannot fathom my rage. My melancholy. My fear."_

_He was right. She did not know. She could not understand such things as emotions. But he didn't expect her to confirm or deny this as he finally stood and observed everything around him._

_"What worth is wealth and power when all must inevitably be consigned to nothingness?" he asked, "If man has nothing, he need not know the pain of loss."_

_There was as a dark shade over his face as he finally gave his orders._

_"So let there be nothing," he decreed. He held u his hand and commanded, "Harvest more power, that the gate may be thrown full open. Let the Cloud of Darkness come and engulf the world, devouring all life, hopes, and dreams. Let all be returned to nothingness!"_

_As you command… Emperor Xande._

_*End of Echo*_

Why did it happen now of all times? Seriously, if she hadn't had anyone here to defend her until she was able to 'wake up'; then she didn't want to think about what would have happened to her. Still, she was struggling to pull herself from those memories as she was shifting in and out of focus of the memory that took place so long ago… and the fight that was happening right now.

In fact, she didn't even notice how one of the Doga clones had appeared behind her and was now holding up his staff to strike her while she was on her knees. G'raha noticed it though and he had time to fire an arrow at him.

"Claire!" he cried as he ran to her side, ready to defend her, "Pull yourself together!"

Easy for him to say: he didn't have his mind being attacked by memories. But still, he was right, she had to snap out of it and help fight their way out of here. Though, the fact that even more clones were now appearing around them weren't helping things.

"Is there no end to them!?" G'raha gasped, his bow still in hand, ready to fire another arrow, "What in the seven hells is happening?!"

That was when he gasped in pain once more and this time it was his hand that went to his head… no his eye… as he whimpered in pain.

"Argh! Not now, damn it!" he groaned.

"Not fun is it?" she could not help but mutter as she struggled to get back to her feet, ready to defend him this time around should the clones come charging in.

Cid, meanwhile, was fighting two off at once as they tried to take him out. He blocked one with the thick, padded armor that was on his left arm before pulling out the shortsword at his side and took care of the cones that were closing in. But still, he was a building, not a warrior and was eventually struck with a blast of fire from three clones. Not enough to kill him, but enough to knock him off his feet.

Nero, however, was cutting them down in droves as he dashed through the ever growing army. At the moment, he took on three at once, cutting down the first two and firing a bullet at a third. But then three more clones appeared to take their place.

"Nero!" Cid yelled as he got back up, "Where they part of your grand plan, too?"

"Save your japes, Garlond!" he yelled back, as if shocked that Cid would blame him for this happening, "I didn't put up with your arrogant face to play with worthless clones!"

But it didn't seem like the clones liked to be insulted in such a way, and were closing in around them. Yet it seemed that wasn't the end of their troubles… or the source. For the clones, she just realized, were now all pulsating with the same dark energy that she felt from the rift.

"Something controls them," she heard Nero say as she blocked a spell that was aimed straight for G'raha, "A voidsent, and no ordinary one at that."

"Doga!"

The scream had come from Unei, who was stretching out her hand to the portal where a dark cloud of aether had grabbed and surrounded Doga. He was lifted off his feet and was now being pulled back towards the vast rift; he reached out desperately for aid as he was pulled in. But as Unei reached out to try and help him, more dark aether poured out and headed straight for Unei, wrapping around her hands and arms; ready to pull her in like Doga.

Claire finally forced herself to her feet as she heard Nero curse, "Confound it! Without them, there's no way to master the darkness! That power… is mine!"

Before anyone could stop him, he charged ahead, cutting down the first clone who stood in his way, and even having to throw his weapon at the next one so that it impaled him. He ran on ahead without a weapon to defend himself to reach Unei—who was being lifted off her feet as well. He made a wild jump, his hand outstretched, but as he reached for her the darkness wrapped around his hand, wrist, and whole arm.

And before they knew it, he and Unei were both pulled inside after Doga.

"Nero!" Cid cried as they watched helplessly as, for the first time, Claire saw fear on Nero's face as he was pulled right into the darkness.

_"The covenant shall be honored," _that terrible voice spoke once more, speaking as if from the very darkness itself. The cloud of pure darkness that was as if an evil that laid dormant for countless generations and was close to awakening completely._ "I am the Cloud of Darkness, I shall devour your light, and return the world to the void."_

And then… the rift closed.

As soon as it flickered and vanished, all the clones around them were dropping like flies. They all stared on in shock, breathing hard as they gasped for air, and unable to believe what just happened. It all happened so quickly that none of them were able to… didn't even think to…?

There was nothing but stunned shock from each of them as they tried to grasp the full situation.

"Damn it, the rift is gone!" Cid cursed, looking at a complete loss for words, "What are we supposed to do now?"

"I don't sense the portal anymore," she said anxiously as he sighed.

"As much as it pains me to leave without them, there's precious little we can do," he said, "Let us return to the Find and consult Rammbroes."

She didn't want to. She wanted to stay here and see if she could force her way through the portal and after them… at least until the reasonable part of her mind warned her that would be next to suicide. She had to calm down and think this through. So after feeling some bile rising up in her throat at the thought of leaving, she forced a nod as they left.

As they headed out, she paused by G'raha, who stumbled and continued to hold onto his eye as if in terrible pain.

"Are you alright," she asked, placing a kind hand on his shoulder, gazing at him with worry.

"Y-Yeah," he said as he rubbed his eye, "I'm fine. It passed. It turns once in a while… my eye, I mean. But it's nothing. I'm better now."

He lowered his hand and seemed a little taken aback by her concern.

"Look, I told you, it's nothing," he said, "I'm fine. Let's just go catch up with the others."

So they slowly descended the tower, having been cleared out of all the traps, experiments, and monsters that blocked their way before. But Claire could not even focus on how beautiful everything else was around her, the memories still fresh in her mind.

By the time they made it back to the Find, everyone was exhausted and drained, wanting nothing more than to go to sleep and pretend that this had all been a bad dream. But they made themselves tell Rammbroes everything that happened… and by the time that they finished, their leader seemed too stunned for words.

"All this happened within the tower?!" Rammbroes gasped, "Gods preserve…"

He looked at each of their faces, as if hoping that one of them would start laughing and tell him that it was a joke. But when no one did, he suddenly looked as if he aged a hundred years.

"The rift had manifested before the throne was a voidgate," Rammbroes summed up after a few minutes of stunned silence, "Of this I am certain. There exist myriad kinds of voidsent. The more powerful the being, the larger the gate must be for it to pass through. 'Twould seem that Xande sought to open a gat of unprecedented proportions—one that would allow this Cloud of Darkness entry into our world. Fortunately for all mankind, he did not succeed. I shudder to imagine what this voidsent is capable of."

"However dreadful it may be, we can't abandon our friends," Cid spoke up brazenly, "Is there no way to save them?"

Rammbroes thought it all over before he sighed again.

"I will not lie to you, Master Garlond, the situation is bleak," he answered back, "Though voidsent can enter our world, instances of men entering the void have never been documented. It pains me to give voice to my fears, but we do not even know whether our friends still live."

It felt that with every passing moment, the chances of saving the others seem to grow bleaker and bleaker. But they couldn't just give up! Not after coming this far!

"Damn it…" Cid hissed furiously, "I feel so helpless…"

"No, I refuse to give up," G'raha declared, leaving no room for doubt, "We must save Doga and Unei."

She looked at him as he shook his head and said, "We share the same eye, 'tis true, but that is not what motivates me. Above all, I wish to help them to fulfill their mission—a mission whose burden they have borne for thousands of years. And besides…" he then reached up to touch his ruby eye once more as he finished, "We cannot leave matters as they are. So long as Xande's dark covenant is binding, our world is in danger. 'Tis our duty to prevent the worst from coming to pass."

"G'raha," Rammbroes said slowly, concern lacing his voice, "Ever since meeting Unei and Doga, you have not quite been yourself. Tell me true: is all well with your eye?"

"I honestly cannot say," the miqo'te answered back as he rubbed at his ruby-red eye, "I know only that there is a memory that I must recall. As a child, my father told me that the truth of our eye rests with Allag. The answer eludes me still… but one day I will find it."

Claire tilted her head curiously, wondering what he meant about that. But he didn't seem able, or willing, to go any further than that.

"I am with G'raha," Cid said suddenly, changing the subject, "However slim the odds, we must try to save Unei and Doga. Aye, and that bastard Nero as well, if only to make certain that he won't make any more mischief."

Besides, she didn't want to imagine how terrifying it would be to be trapped within the void. Though, she had a bad feeling she would soon find out.

"You have the right of it," Rammbroes agreed, "Though we have known them but briefly, Doga and Unei are our comrades. We cannot fail them. I shall consult experts and literature both. I swear to leave no stone unturned. Yet know that it may be awhile before we are ready to act. I would ask that you all be patient. When dealing with the void, one cannot be cautious enough."

It looked as if there was not much else that could be done but hope for the best and prepare for whatever was coming their way. Though they had not the slightest idea of what was coming for them next, she could not help but wonder what she could have done to earn such bad luck. She supposed that was what she get for thinking that the worst was behind them.

Rammbroes clapped a hand on her shoulder and bowed low as he said gratefully, "My thanks again for your assistance. Pray rest now while you can. For when the time comes to go after our friends, you must be no less than full strength."

She nodded, knowing that he was right. She didn't know how or win they were going to be able to do it, but she figured that if there was any group of mad people who could pull off following after a crazy powerful voidsent straight into the void… it was this group of maniacs with her.

"We'll save them yet, Claire!" Cid promised, "Mark my words!"

She believed him. After all, give Cid a task to build, and he always gets there in the end. She only wondered what would be waiting for them next.

As Cid and Rammbroes began to discuss their options, she noticed how G'raha seemed to drift farther and farther away from them all night. Eventually, when she looked up to see that he was gone from the camp completely and she rose from her seat to look for him.

She soon tracked him down on the cliff that granted them a perfect view of the Crystal Tower from a distance and he jumped slightly when he heard her steps.

"Forgive me for leaving without telling anyone," he said as she slowly approached and sat at his side, her legs dangling over the ledge just like how his were swinging back and forth. "I just… needed time to think."

She nodded in understanding as she leaned back on her hands as she looked up at the tower again.

"It's strange," she said suddenly, "For a long time I've wondered what it would be like to explore the tower. Now that I did so… it feels…?"

"Empty, almost?" G'raha finished for her with a nod. "Aye, I know the feeling. Especially with how that all ended there today. I mean… it's still amazing and I would love nothing more than to look over every square inch of it with a magnifying glass if I get the chance… but that whole ending left a bad taste in my mouth."

He paused there for a moment as if something else was weighing upon his mind.

"Hey, what happened to you back there?" he asked curiously, turning his eyes to her own. "You know? When those clones showed up and began to attack us? You kinda… had a fit or something?"

"Oh, that…" she sighed, "Sorry if I made you worry. It's just…?"

And after a moment of hesitation, she told him about her gift and the vision she had witnessed.

He stared at her in shock as he listened to her recount what she had seen; not daring to speak until she was finished.

"So you actually saw a vision of the past?" he asked in awe. "Of Emperor Xande?"

She nodded and finished, "He was speaking to the clones we fought about how he feared death. And that if mankind no longer had anything worth losing, then they wouldn't grieve what they could lose."

G'raha frowned as he thought that all over.

"Now it makes sense," he whispered. "Hearing it from that point of view, I guess I feel just the tiniest stabs of pity for him. But… but you think he would have come up with a better goal than to just 'destroy everything' you know?" He looked back to her and asked, "But I'm glad that it wasn't anything else. At first, I feared that you had been injured on your way up through the tower. 'Tis a relief to see that you don't seem to be any the worse for wear."

"Just tired," she said with a forced smile before looking back to the tower.

"Yeah, I know," G'raha sighed as he followed her gaze. "Don't worry, I'm sure that we'll figure out how to save the others. We just have to start looking for a way. And if there is anyone out there who can do it, it's Cid and the others of NOAH. Let no man say that we leave anyone behind."

"Well, how about you then?" she asked.

"Hmm? What about me?" he questioned as he looked back at her.

"I wasn't the only one who was in pain on the top of the tower," she pointed out, "Is it your eye? Was it hurting you?"

"Ah… y-yeah," he stuttered slightly, as if embarrassed.

"Why did you seem so surprised when I was asking if you were alright?" she asked suddenly, and she could feel him tensing up slightly.

"Just not used to it, I guess?" he shrugged. She could tell that she was touching upon a very difficult topic for him and did not press him any further. But she didn't need too, for after a little while of silence, he sighed again and finished, "I know that my bloodline can be traced back to the Third Astral Era and that my family has something to do with ancient Allag. Apart from what though… I honestly don't know. Just that for the members of my family, they were born with this Allagan Eye. But with every generation, it grew thinner and weaker until only one child every generation is born with this eye. And… I just had to be the one born with it."

His tone was bitter as she watched him reach up to touch his one ruby eye again.

"And because I was born with this eye… I was shunned by my tribe for it," he confessed grimly. "It wasn't easy growing up being treated because of something you can't help. Just so that I wouldn't have to deal with my ever growing strained relationship with my tribe, I turned to studying all about Allag. Soon though, I was accepted to study in Sharlayan to become an Archon. And it all started off from nothing more than the stories that my father told me, to becoming one of the greatest scholars on the topic of Allag out there."

"That's something to be proud of," she praised him and she saw how his lip curled into a grin.

"I remember those days," he responded, as he thought back on his past. "How I would curl up under the boughs of a shady tree and just read books until the sun went down… and when I left, oh, it was with a great feeling. I always planned to return home one day and show off my skills to them. Though I should be practicing my magicks a little more if I'm to do that."

"You don't know any magic?" she asked in surprise.

"Oh, just the basics," he confessed as he held up his fingers, "And a few tricks… you know… to impress the ladies."

And with a snap of his fingers, a daisy appeared from seemingly out of nowhere and she blinked in surprise as he held it out to her.

"Friends?" he asked with a smile.

She could not help but laugh as she took the flower and twirled it between her fingers as she informed him, "I don't know if I should call you a gentleman… or a shameless flirt."

He winked back, looking far happier than he did before and confessed, "I've been called worse. Besides, how can anyone resist when they find themselves in such good company?"


	5. The World of Darkness

**Chapter 5: The World of Darkness**

"I don't see why you put so much effort into this," G'raha complained as she was fighting back the chuckles.

"I find it funny," she grinned, "How can you never claim to make a sandwich like this?"

"Don't mock me," G'raha scolded back, but even he was having a hard time keeping himself from smiling. "I love sandwiches. And sure, I can make them whenever I want. But never once did I have to go out and hunt for the ingredients for them."

Claire was sitting at the fire's edge at the Find as she finished making her own dinner. When she came to visit the members of NOAH, hoping for more news, she found herself sharing some of her food with G'raha, who had been working himself to exhaustion.

When she saw the dark bands under his eyes, she made him sit with her so that she could see him have a meal before letting him get back to work. She understood how important it was that they keep working, but they couldn't afford anyone to get sick right now.

"Seriously?" he questioned as he watched her apply a generous amount of meat and tomatoes to his sandwich, "Not only do you go out to hunt and gather the ingredients, after you find the wheat needed you make the bread by hand as well?"

"You would be surprised at how a little thought and care can make a difference with food," she laughed as she handed the plate out to him. A sandwich so large that being able to get his mouth open wide enough to take a bite would have been a challenge. One that he was, thankfully, more than happy to test.

He massaged his jaw before taking a bite… and she grinned when she saw his eyes light up at the flavors she worked so hard to put in.

"By the Twelve!" he gasped, a mouthful of food, "My friend, I do believe you missed your calling by being a professional cook!"

She laughed once more as she finished her own sandwich—one slightly smaller than G'raha's was—and leaned back comfortably upon the crystalline ground.

"I did learn to cook from the culinarian guild in Limsa," she informed him.

"Ah, I have heard more than a few rumors about that restaurant," he sighed, "Well, it's official. Next time I visit Limsa Lominsa, I will be stopping by. But only if I hear that you are on staff that day."

They sat in silence as they continued eating; with G'raha now practically inhaling the sandwich as they heard the slight rumble of more researchers talking with each other, the occasional scratch of parchment, or tools being used to take measurements.

G'raha finished his food much faster than she did and was licking his fingers with a most satisfied look on his face.

"My, I must consider going out to hunt for my food if it all will taste as good as that did," he told her. "And… yes, I think I did need a break. So for that, my new friend, I thank you."

She nodded back before asking him how their research was going so far.

"Well, Rammbroes has a few friends at the Thaumaturgy Guild in Ul'dah and he's been asking them for advice," G'raha said slowly, "But I think it best that we wait for him to return before I tell you anymore."

She wasn't sure she liked the way he said that. But she could see the worry in his eyes at the reminder that Doga, Unei, and Nero had already been trapped for some time in the World of Darkness, and with every second they spend out here… the odds of them being able to find a way to save them grow dimmer and dimmer.

"But come, let us talk about something more upbeat," he said, and then she saw how his eyes lit up with eager curiosity as he requested, "I know what! Come, regale me with a tale or two of your adventures. I have heard stories from them, but I would dearly love to hear them from the lady herself."

Claire felt herself turning at the idea and looked away. She rarely talked about her recent victories, feeling that they felt a little too much like bragging to her.

"Oh please," G'raha pleaded when she didn't answer, "History is my favorite subject, as I'm sure you already know. But to hear of first-hand accounts are so much better than reading about them from an old tome."

She thought it over for a moment before looking back at him and saying, "Very well… but… it's only fair you return the favor. I wish to hear more about you?"

He blinked at that and this time it was his turn to flush.

"Ah, that… well…" he coughed, "It's not that I'm not flattered that you think my story worthy of being told, but it's just that… well, there's not much that I can tell you that you don't already know. I spent most of my childhood reading and studying before going off to learn in Sharlayan. I doubt that any adventures that I've had would pale in comparison to yours."

"I would still like to hear them," she countered with a smile. "And you can talk while I finish eating. And then I can tell you all about my adventures."

He thought it over before nodding in agreement.

"Aye, that sounds like a fair exchange," he said, "Very well… ah… oh! How about I tell you of the time that I snuck into the restricted section of the Studium's library and…?"

And so they passed the time exchanging all manner of stories. Claire found that once he started talking about a subject that he knew well, getting him to stop talking was almost impossible. But she didn't mind, she quite enjoyed listening to him talk with such passion for things that he was proud of.

And when it was her turn to tell him some of her adventures, his eyes would grow as large as plates and stare at her as if she were the most incredible thing he had ever seen.

After a couple hours of talking though, G'raha noticed someone coming up the way towards them.

"Ah, Rammbroes is back," he said as he leapt up and raced over to greet him at the usual place outside one of the tents. Claire sighed, having a bad feeling that relaxing time was over and that it would soon be time to get back to work. She looked at the small fire in front of her, watching the flames flicker and crackle before she took a deep breath. No point in waiting any longer.

She got to her feet and slowly made her way back to the tent where the two were deep in conversation. As soon as they saw her approach though, they fell silent.

"Ah, Claire, it is good you are come," Rammbroes said in a voice of forced cheer, "I have news you must be made aware of. Alas, none of it bodes well for us, nor for Unei, Doga, and Nero imprisoned in the dark realm."

Oh, she really wasn't going to like this talk.

Rammbroes looked to G'raha, who nodded back in understanding and continued for him, "Think back upon our last foray into Syrcus Tower, if you will. The Calamity stirred the place from its long slumber and awoke Emperor Xande. But you, Claire, you ensured he was laid to rest permanently. Yet the emperor had sealed a binding covenant with the terrible voidsent known as the Cloud of Darkness. Even as Doga and Unei labored to annul this contract, the entity reached through a rift and dragged the pair of them—and Nero—out of our realm."

Right, that much she knew already. She was there after all and didn't need a recount of it. Though judging by how they were stalling to tell her what changes have been made, the progress wasn't good.

"Since that day, NOAH has devoted itself to rescuing Unei, Doga, and Nero from beyond the rift," Rammbroes sighed, "Our research, however, has exposed a far more dire problem. The Crystal Tower still acts upon Emperor Xande's orders, and collects energy to open another voidgate even as we speak. Indeed, the place nigh hums with energy. We have done all we can to stop the imperial edict, but to no avail. Just as the gate would open only for Unei and Doga, so too will the tower heed only those with the royal blood of Allag."

So the only way they can get into the dark realm and rescue Unei and Doga was if they had the tower open the way for them? But they didn't have anyone else who could control the tower! What were they supposed to do?

"'Tis a most galling design," G'raha huffed, "Granted, this was not always so vexatious, according to the Allagan tomestone Nero presented us. During the golden age of Allag, the royalty had some means of bestowing their blood upon others. If they hadn't such a technology, Amon and his underlings could never have controlled the Crystal Tower."

Well that's good for them, but what were they supposed to do about it now? From her studies with thaumaturgy, she knew that it was difficult to one up rifts to the void… impossible except for the most powerful of mages.

"But we do not have either this art or any with Royal Blood," Rammbroes sighed, 'Every moment we wait, a vast rift through which the Cloud of Darkness can enter our realm threatens to open. Such a disaster cannot be allowed to come to pass. We must seal the Crystal Tower, and annul Xande's covenant with the dark realm."

And again, she would love to help, but what was it that she was supposed to do? She was starting to grow irritated with the dancing around and not going straight into the serious topic.

"If only breaking the latter would suffice…" Rammbroes added, "But then what of the energy building in the Crystal Tower? Without suppression, that power could discharge and cause a calamity like to the one that destroyed Allag. In truth, we have more than just three lost compatriots to worry about. If we do not act, our very world will fall before the might of this threat."

"So… what do we do?" she finally asked, knowing how much danger they were all in and wanting them to just get to the point where they could fix it and make it better.

"We know but one way out of this predicament: rescue those who can control the tower from beyond the dark realm, and seal the rift shut after them," G'raha answered at last, "And mercifully, not all our news is quite so bleak. 'Tis true we cannot stop the voidgate from manifesting within the tower, but this can be to our benefit. We can use Syrcus's power for our own purposes, and create a portal to carry us into the dark realm!"

She grinned at him, glad to hear that, at long last. That was all he had to say, they didn't need to go into such a long explanation, did they?

"We have heard this is possible from a man of the Thaumaturges' Guild well versed in otherworldly matters," Rammbroes explained, "And with Master Garlond working to create said portal, the final preparations are well under way." He then blinked and beamed at a spot over her head as he waved and cried, "Ah, and here comes the man himself."

Claire turned around, and sure enough, there was Cid—looking both drawn and tired—but was grinning like a cat who just got the cream.

"Claire! Just the woman we need!" he said happily, pausing to ruffle her hair in a fond way.

"Yes, our fellowship is indeed complete, and all parties privy to our strategy," Rammbroes said hurriedly, "And you, Master Garlond, how fare your endeavors?"

"Quite well!" Cid exclaimed, "The device is nearly ready—though attaching the damnable thing to Syrcus Tower took every onze of ingenuity the Ironworks has got. But it should produce the energy we need. With just a little more fine-tuning, we can open a rift. I'm here to request your presence at the tower."

He didn't even have to ask for that, they were all more than willing to head up there and put an end to this once and for all.

"I'll leave Biggs and Wedge at the Eight Sentinels as guides," he told her and the others as he hurried back, "And do hurry, Claire. I'm sure you wouldn't miss another chance to save the world, would you?"

"Why would I miss that?" she could not help but whisper to herself, knowing that he was already out of hearing range. But G'raha chuckled, having obviously heard her and clapped her on the shoulders.

"Well, Cid certainly seems to have firm hand on the helm," he said before he bowed and extended an arm to her, "Shall we make our way to the Crystal Tower?"

She smiled as she took his arm and he led the way back towards the tower. They walked in silence for the most part until they passed close to the Labyrinth of the Ancients, where G'raha explained that the Ironworks managed to use some of the artifacts found in the tower and were not planning to use it to force open the doors. When they reached the gate, that was where they found Wedge waiting for them.

"Claire!" Wedge cried in relief when he saw her approach, "I'll bet you're here to watch us pry open a rift between worlds, eh?"

"It crossed my mind," she beamed back as she looked around, "Is everything here set?"

"We're almost ready," he promised, "Syrcus Tower is full of engineers scurrying around and making adjustments. We're dealing with a lot of power, and if a single coupling's off… well, boom!" He seemed to realize what he said and gulped, "B-But it should be fine. Really! Anyway, you'd best wait at the top. The chief's there overseeing the whole operation."

Well, with Cid leading the charge, then she felt much better of this whole thing working. Wedge led the way for them through the Labyrinth, leaving her to trail behind a little with G'raha, who's eyes never left the tower for long.

"So once we bring them back, we'll have to act fast to close off the tower," he said to her. "We'll be cutting it close, but I'm sure we can pull it off."

"What will you do when we do get them back and seal off the tower?" Claire asked him suddenly. "I know that Rammbroes will remain in Mor Dhona for the foreseeable future…?"

"Huh? Oh, I never really thought about that," G'raha thought it over for a moment. "I would love to learn more about Allag from our new friends. I can only imagine how much I could learn from them. I have so many questions about Allag that I would love to ask Unei and Doga when we get them back."

G'raha sighed in longing as he looked at the crystalline structure that sparkled above them, "Even though we have to seal the tower off, can you imagine what they could teach us? But after that…? I'm not sure. Maybe I'll take to the road for awhile? I know that adventurers get to go to so many places and explore so many things… sounds like a lot of fun."

He grinned at her as he then said, "I know I'll never be as strong as you are… but I'm sure I can manage it. I mean, I'm not defenseless. Perhaps… I can stick around you? You seem to know your way around Eorzea."

"Oh?" she asked with her eyebrows raised. "As travelling companions?"

"I was thinking… 'partners'," he said as he thought it over. "I mean… you always seem to be getting into exciting things? How could anyone refuse?"

She chuckled as she thought it over.

"We'll talk more once this is over," she promised. "But I should warn you, I drive a hard shift."

"And you will be free to throw me out at any time," he said happily. "But we'll get the others back first and then I will have the time to charm my way into your good graces."

There was laughter until they reached the top and came out to where the throne stood at the end of the long walkway. Upon the platform where Claire fought Xande, stood Cid, Biggs, and Wedge—watching the Sons Researchers and Ironworks Workers taking measurements and testing equipment. Though everyone was looking tired, there was an air of excitement in the air and Cid was all but grinning like a drunkard who had one too many at the tavern.

"My friends, you've arrived," Cid waved when they all appeared, "I'm just waiting for my engineers to give the signal. Then, we'll see if we can't open a gateway to another world! Hm? Is there something amiss, G'raha?"

Claire looked next to her to where G'raha was staring up at the empty throne with a faraway look in his eyes. He seemed to be lost in a memory of his own and when Cid looked to see what caught his attention, he made a noise of understanding.

"…Ahhh, Emperor Xande's throne—how the mighty have fallen, eh?" Cid asked with a hint of disappointment as he folded his arms, "Once, it stood as a symbol of Allag's art and power. Now, it's nothing more than an empty chair. Just imagine if Allagan civilization had lived on, and a just emperor stills at on that throne. How different would our history be, how much further would we have advanced?" He sighed and finished, "Unfortunately, there was no stopping Xande and his ambition."

"There… there were those who tried," G'raha said softly. His hand went to his head again, his eye seemingly painful once more as he explained, "Xande's war of domination left no one unscathed. Unable to abide the horrors inflicted upon the people, warriors young and brave took up the sword against Allag. These men and women became as beacons of hope to those who had suffered—not unlike the Warriors of Light in our age."

She blinked in surprise… trying to think of when someone mentioned that before. But despite all the talks that she had with him about Allag… this was the first time she ever mentioned these warriors.

"But all this merely hastened the destruction," G'raha whispered on, sounding so sad at that moment, she could not imagine what caused this air of meloncholy to cling to him so. "Just as they moved towards Allag's heart for the kill, Xande lashed out in anger and frustration… as trapped beasts are wont to do. In his desperation, Xande desired that a great rift be opened to hasten the Cloud of Darkness's coming. To this end, he commanded the sun's power held within Dalamud be emptied into Syrcus Tower at once. The act bore a terrible consequences. The tower only withstood the blast by flooding the land below with energy. Syrcus was swallowed by the very earth upon which it once stood."

So by trying to prevent more tragedy… it led to what must have felt like the end of the world to those poor people. She looked up to the throne, suddenly realizing that just looking at it made her sick to her stomach and make her heart feel that someone had grabbed hold of it.

"The Fourth Umbral Calamity… I'd learn of its cause from Unei and Doga," Cid said in wonder at the news before looking back to G'raha as he praised him, "I had no idea that rebellion incited Xande to rashness, though. Your knowledge of Allagan history is astonishing, G'raha. Why, a man could study for two lifetimes and only learn half of what you know."

G'raha gave his head a shake, and she could have sworn that he looked as surprised at what was just said as they were feeling.

"Mayhap…" he said uncertainly, "'Tis strange, though—I cannot seem to remember where I learned such things…"

Cid looked ready to start asking questions, but then he froze as his hand went up to his ear.

"Yes?" he asked through the linkpearl. "Ah, Biggs, are you ready?" he fell silent as he listened to whatever Biggs said before she saw how he lit up and cried excitedly, "Good! Then let's get started!"

Well, it seems that quiet time was now over.

Cid turned to everyone, getting their attention as he yelled out, "Our preparations are complete. Everyone, step away from the throne."

Like lining up toy soldiers, they all did what they were told until they stood in single file in front of the crystal throne and waited. For a moment, nothing happened, but then the crystal pillars around them began to glow, their aether quickly escaping and then coming together to a point right above the empty chair. They all watched with baited breath as it all gathered and collected together until there was a great burst of energy that caused that same black rift to burst open.

She grinned as the others let out cries of joy and excitement to see that it opened up.

"Ahhh, a rift to the World of Darkness as Unei called it," Rammbroes said, "Splendid work, Master Garlond!"

"We can't break out the mead just yet," he said, going back to seriousness, "The tough part's still ahead. We've broken into the dark realm, but the gate's not all that stable: it won't stay open forever, and only a few can use it. I, for one, will remain here to ensure the voidgate stays open."

"As will the Sons of Saint Coinach," Rammbroes vowed, "This rift is our sole path to salvation—if it closes, we are all truly lost. Which leaves…"

She didn't even need him to look right at her to know what he was thinking. After all… this was why she had been invited along.

"Claire," he said with a level of regret underlining his voice, "My friend, 'tis a heavy burden I must task you with, but there are none more able. Pray lead the adventurer beyond the rift. I do not know what awaits you, save the Cloud of Darkness and our three comrades. But you must go, for the fate of our world now rests upon your shoulders."

She fought the urge to sigh as she nodded and muttered, "No pressure huh?"

She forced the smile. What else could they do? She had no choice if she wanted to save the others.

"This is our only gambit, but I have every faith you will succeed," Rammbroes said encouragingly as he clapped her shoulder. "It will be no small feat to return after you have passed beyond the rift. Make certain you are prepared before leaving."

And so they got to work testing the portal, making sure that it was stabilized before they risked Claire or anyone else. As Claire watched them, thinking that she would be the only able to go through, she realized that someone was watching her. She turned to see that G'raha was giving her such a piercing look that she felt concern as she asked him, "Is something wrong?"

"…Might I have a moment of your time, Claire?" he asked, "There is a matter of import we must needs discuss ere you leave."

She blinked before responding, "Sure… what is it?"

But he insisted on speaking to her in private, away from the others, and guided her back down through the tower until they were back at the Eight Sentinels. She wasn't sure why he felt the need to come all the way out here, but she followed after him silently. They still had some time before the rift would be declared safe… at least safe for her to travel through.

When it was just the two of them, she saw how G'raha took a deep breath and turned to face her.

"Claire, I wished to speak to you about my eye," he said, "As you are no doubt aware, 'tis a trait seen only amongst Allagan royalty. Long I have pondered why such is my inheritance. The sanguine hue must have some bearing upon my destiny—this much Doga himself admitted. But what?"

She honestly did not know. She knew even less than he did and had no idea why he was asking her such questions like she might magically find the answers for them. But seeing the look on his face, she knew that he was aware of this and so she remained silent as she let him find the words he needed to say.

He just lowered his head as he confessed, "In truth, the more I learn of the Crystal Tower, the less I am myself. Somehow meeting those two clones has wrought great change in me. I am consumed with remembering… something. Something ancient, but ever so important."

Though they did not know how, G'raha's fate seemed to be directly tied to the tower. She could see it from his expression… that he was both scared and confused about this whole thing. The more that he learns about Allag and the tower itself, the less he grows to learn more about himself. He was like the rest of them… acting like someone stumbling around in a dark place as they searched for answers that were in front of them but could not see.

He turned around to face her as he finished, "And my father's words echo in my mind, the selfsame ones his father told him: the truth of our eye rests with Allag. Mayhap what I wish to remember and these words are related. Mayhap not. But I know I must learn the truth that history hides form me. I would see this journey—our journey—through to the very end with my own two eyes."

So what was he asking? She tilted her head as he took one last breath and pleaded, "So I implore you: allow me to join you beyond the rift!"

She let him talk until he was out of breath and he just stared on at her as he waited for what felt like an agonizing time. But then…

"You do know that it will be dangerous there?" she reminded him calmly.

G'raha seemed more surprised that she didn't outright refuse as he nodded.

"Pray understand that I'm under no illusions that it will be far from safe," he answered, "But please… I beg that you let me accompany you. Though I am no warrior, this is something that I feel that I must do! And so… I ask you again. Allow me to join you beyond the rift."

She blinked once as she thought it over.

Finally, she came to an answer that worked for both of them.

"On one condition," she said to him at last with a nod. "You let me go first. Stay behind me the entire time. Otherwise I can't promise your safety."

A look of enormous relief passed over his face as he said gratefully, "You have my thanks, my friend. Now, let us venture into the World of Darkness, to save our comrades and our realm!"

And so it was decided. They returned to the tower in record time when they heard Cid over the linkpearl inform them that the rift was stable and ready. There were objections when they returned and G'raha said that he was going to go with her, but after some arguments they remembered they didn't have the time to stand here talking about it.

"Alright," Cid said in slight annoyance. "But you both better come back alive, ya here? Now… let's get this show on the road."

There were calls of encouragement and words of good luck all around as Claire stretched out, knowing that this was going to be a hard run. But once she took a deep breath, she charged on ahead, with G'raha right on her heels.

Stepping through the rift felt as if she stepped through a cold waterfall. She held her breath as she walked through, the bright light left behind as she entered nothing but complete darkness ahead of her. In fact, it was so dark she didn't even realize when she had reached the other side. Her eyes took a few minutes to adjust to the surroundings…

She didn't know what she was expecting, but she could say one thing… the World of Darkness lived up to its name. There were traces of light still around her, such as in the sky above her, through the scattered clouds she could make out patches of stars just barely able to shine through, as well as jagged pieces of corrupted crystals that cast everything around them in an eerie light. She was standing at the bottom of what looked like a mountain trail that led upwards to some sort of ruined temples that were mixed together with more corrupted crystals… but what drew her attention the most was the dark ball of corroded energy that hovered directly above them like a sun. Just looking at it made her feel weak and sick as if she had come down with a serious illness.

"By the Twelve…" she heard G'raha croak out next to her.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her hand going to her sword as she prepared for the run ahead.

"Fine," he gulped down. "I'll keep an eye out for the others. Now, let's go!"

And so they ran ahead.

She stepped off the platform and headed up the stairs. When she ran into the first landing, she saw a group of chimeras waiting for her. So when she stepped up to face them, she had nine heads all trying to eat her as well as feeling the burning pain of fire and ice attacking her limbs.

This wasn't going to be a fun day.

And soon after she managed to chop off a few of the heads and kill the brutes, a giant two-headed dragon appeared to take their place, along with an army of shadow in the form of people. She didn't want to know where they all came from as she was forced into the thick of it. She focused on the shadow people first before she lopped off the two heads of the dragon when they stretched out to snap at her.

Panting hard, she continued up the stone steps; knowing that she shouldn't expect this to be easy nor that finding the others would be a simple matter. In fact, knowing her luck, she doubted very much that she would be able to find them until she tracked down the Cloud of Darkness.

She wondered what she did to have such bad luck?

She pushed those slightly disturbing thoughts out of her head as she ran out of stairs and found herself inside of the of temples with glowing red corrupted crystals through each of the pillars. As she looked around, she could not help but wonder just where this temple came from… for she found it unlikely that voidsent could have built it.

But her gaze was drawn to the next foe…

It looked like a floating eyeball… only it was much larger and terrifying than the ones she had seen around Haukke Manor. It hovered upon the ground with a bright yellow color and great tattered wings beating furiously as a giant mouth of razor sharp teeth opened wide and its great eye circled in on her.

She gulped before marching forward.

G'raha, who was right behind her, made to move in and help… at least until she held up her hand in silent warning. He looked at her in surprsie as she shook her head. She would go first… that was the deal they had made. After a moment, he forced a nod and stood back as she stepped forward, her sword in her hands.

Well, with one eye, it was able to focus all of its attention on her as it snapped its jaws at her and she actually heard it speak up, _"I spy with my giant eye… prey for the hunting!"_

The fight started off with the floor being slit into red and white. She didn't understand what was going on, only that she could feel two different types of energy bursting forth from both sides. From the white she felt a terrible grief and sadness all but leaking through… while from the red, she felt rage and anger bursting forth and lashing out at her.

There was no place for her to stand that she would be free of the oncoming attack and so she took the blast of fury. She could feel it burning her body as she swung her sword with reckless abandon. But soon enough that attack was coming back and she wasn't sure she even wanted to know what would happen if she took in anymore anger. So this time she stood upon the white half and when the attack passed over, she could feel some of that burning anger fade to be replaced with a sense of sorrow that cooled the heat.

She glared up at the great eye that looked at her and began to glow. Recognizing what was coming here, she spun about so that she wouldn't be tempted to look. She could feel the power washing over her as she missed being infected by whatever power was held in the eye.

_"Let us take a measure of your soul!"_ it howled at her as the ground began to glow underneath her once more. She looked down to see that a cone shape beam of energy was now rotating clockwise around the room like a roulette. Meanwhile, 4 giant hourglasses had appeared around the corners of the room.

_"Round and round the hand does go,"_ it said, _"Who will it slaughter? Nobody knows!"_

Not liking the looks of this at all, she turned her attention to killing the hourglasses. Thankfully, they weren't anywhere near as strong as this flying eyeball and cracking through the glass and spilling the sand was easily enough. Once she finished killing the last hourglass, the roulette had stopped and let up a quarter of the room with a violently red energy. Not liking the look of it, she stepped outside of the light and swirled behind the flying demon eyeball.

_"How much are you worth, I wonder?"_ it asked once the power faded, and she could feel the heat from the blast of that last attack she barely managed to avoid.

When the creature swung back to glare at her, however, she took this chance to plunge her sword right through that giant eye. She could feel the burst of aether burst and disburse as it howled in pain.

_"N-No, my fate is grown dark before my eye…"_ it croaked and fell.

She was breathing hard as she stood up, feeling most of the hatred she had absorbed from before fade away from her. But even as G'raha joined her, asking if she was alright, the feelings of pain and sorrow didn't leave completely.

She looked upwards as she thought back to the emotions she felt from that creature and knew that it didn't come from nowhere. This place… whatever it was… the grief here was too deep for her to ever fathom.

She shook her head, knowing that whatever happened to his place wasn't going to help her or anyone else. So, after forcing down those dark thoughts, she ran ahead, startled to find that the creature's death created enough aether to cast a glowing walkway of purple aether to reach out from the ledge of the cliff and stretch out into the darkness to a distant floating island. After carefully testing her weight upon the bridge, she was glad to see that it was strong enough to support her weight despite the fact that it felt like she was walking on top of a glass walkway. The two of them ran until the aetherline walkway met with stone steps that cracked and crumbled beneath her as she raced up another flight of stairs. She had to duck underneath a veritable mountain of corrupted crystals—knowing that staying near them for too long was bound to do more than hurt her eyes by looking at it.

But when she came across another open platform, she had to skid to a stop when she saw what could only be…?

"Scylla?" she repeated, breathing hard as the twisted colored form of the many-headed Scylla howl furiously.

"No, it can't be, you killed them back at the Tower!" G'raha countered. "Another clone…?"

Well, whatever it was, it sure didn't look friendly. As she moved in to kill it, she remembered how the last Scylla could at least speak… this one could only howl and rage at her. She could only guess that it was a failed clone and it was somehow banished here to the World of Darkness where it was corrupted by the dark forces here.

And it only got worse that after she brought it down—which was much easier than the last one—another clone appeared. This time of a clone Emperor Xande and was aglow with dark colors that had warped and twisted it around to a mindless creature no different than voidsent.

Just her luck.

She wasn't sure what it… either these really were just weak failed experiments from before or if there was about the darkness though, but so many countless centuries of being tapped down here in the dark had robbed them of their strength, but they were nowhere near as strong as their counterparts had been.

Once she finished killing Xande's clone, she was dreading what else was waiting for her, and her fear for the others trapped here growing. Up one more flight of stairs brought her to another temple, though this one was infused with glowing green corrupted crystals in the pillars…

And the form of a giant snake-like dragon waiting for her… with all five of its heads hissing hungrily.

"Where do all these things come from?" she could not help but ask as she held up her sword and marched forward, wondering which of the heads she would cut off first.

It started off with one of the heads opening its mouth and the entire floor beneath her feet began to freeze up. Having to run out of range of the attack, another head opened and acid began to drip from its fangs until it pooled on the ground and formed poisonous slimes that began to ooze towards her. Gritting her teeth, she had to avoid the blast of ice before cutting into the poison slimes, leaving nothing but puddles of poison on the ground. The haze from the puddles was enough to cause her eyes to water and throat tighten up to make her cough. She had to move away from those as the other heads bent down low to hiss and she saw a variable field of raiser sharp fangs being bared at her.

The battle went on, with each head able to perform their own unique tricks that would try to kill her. Including sending down balls of lightning, casting balls of fire, and many other attacks that dealt with powerful damage. So, growing more and more angry the longer they kept this up, she managed to slice off each and every head at a time until the great brute fell down, the long necks all becoming entangled with each other as they slumped forward and laid there unmoving.

She wiped some sweat away from her face, having just escaped that last attack with burning heat. She really hoped that she wouldn't make of habit of fighting against dragons, no matter how many heads it had.

Up and up she went… but still no signs of the others. Another glowing path appeared before her and curled around through the sky once that five-headed dragon fell. As she moved along the illuminated path, she could get a good look at the land around her, including the aurora in the distant sky and the glowing red orb that hung there ominously. She wasn't sure what the concentrated orb of darkness was or what it was for, only that she could not stand to look at it. That was when she reached a series of glowing platforms that were set adrift in the sky… each one with an atomos floating aloft and she could guess what was next.

Thankfully, she had learned her lesson from the Labyrinth when she saw them before. She had to stay on the platforms to fight the heads, all the while they kept knocking her off, where she would fly back up with the glowing platforms. And then the soldiers of armor would appear to her and she had to avoid the fists and being swallowed. But once the Atomos were dead, she was launched once more through the dark air until she reached the next platform with the largest temple yet. This one with glowing blue in the pillars and…?

Oh no… please no…?

What is the deal with creatures here having multiple heads? For in this temple, waiting for her was the form of a giant three-headed dog with all three of its heads locked behind some kind of giant mask-like muzzles and tethered with glowing chains.

"Cerberus?!" G'raha gasped from next to her, "The legendary dog that guards the doors to the seven hells?"

Well, at least she didn't need to guess where they were heading. With a silent plea that this fight would be enough to get the attention of the three they were looking for, she walked in with her head held high—hoping that the tethers would last long enough for her to kill this mutt.

Well, that wish didn't last long. The three heads were unable to bite her through their encasing, but they were able to stomp around, where she was forced to run like a bug trying to avoid getting stepped on. But eventually the slashes she made on the beasts legs were irritating it so much that with a great heave it managed to break the glowing chains and free itself.

Well, she had three heads to deal with now… nothing new.

At least until her leg got caught in some purple goo that was thrown up by Cerberus. As she tried to free herself Cerberus spit up more orbs from its stomach… which cast some sort of spell that caused everything around her to grow… wait… no… it didn't make everything bigger…

It made her shrink!

She stared around her, realizing that she was a 1/3 of her usual size and stuck completely unable to move. And when she looked up, she could see Cerberus's three jaws above her and they were the last thing she saw before she knew nothing but darkness.

She heard G'raha's panicked cries as she was swallowed alive and whole down Cerberus's throat. When she came too, she was surrounded by fleshy walls and knee deep in disgusting stomach acid. Oh, like hells she was gonna die in a place like this. Fury gripped her as she looked around the inside of the stomach. Well, if there was one thing she was going to do, it was make Cerberus regret eating her. So she began to attack the walls and the horrible things that it already swallowed. Whether it was part of Cerberus's body or perhaps the remains of some other poor fool that it swallowed, it didn't matter.

All she knew was that after a short amount of time slashing at the walls, she could feel the body around her moving and she was carried out on a river of stomach fluid. She hit the ground once Cerberus spat her back out, how howling in agony before he stopped thrashing and slumped to the ground in pain. She rolled, dripping more of Cerberus's stomach as she shivered, knowing that she was going to need a hot bath tonight to get rid of those memories.

But with Cerberus now on the ground, she had time to re-chain him. She made sure to grab the two glowing tethers to lock the enchanted muzzles back upon all three of its mouths. By the time that Cerberus woke from his pain long enough to realize what happened, it was already shackled and its heads thrashed about angrily. With it now locked back up, it was a matter of time for her to get under his belly and rammed her blade up through the chest. Thanks to all the damage she dealt from the inside, it was finally too much and it crumbled to the ground.

She was shaking as she stood back up, pulling her sword from the thick hide, before it vanished into a blast of aether.

As she caught her breath, G'raha charged in, staring at her as if he was looking at a ghost. In fact, it took him a few minutes to remember how to speak.

"You… scared me…" was all he could say.

"You were scared?" she demanded, still shaking. "Imagine how I feel!"

But just then, her head jerked around as she stared ahead to where some sort of light was drawing her attention. G'raha—who looked ready to start yelling at her for that stunt—noticed her and looked to see where she was staring.

"What is it?" he asked quickly as he sensed her freeze up.

She did not answer right away as her eyes narrowed at the glowing platform that was now acting the part of a portal.

It was here… she didn't know how she knew, she just could feel it in her very bones. Something very old… something powerful… was just ahead. It was a familiar presence as well… the same presence she felt in that instant back on top of the tower before Doga and the others were pulled in.

"It's here," she whispered softly. And at those words, she saw G'raha's eyes widen slightly as he understood what she meant.

"You stay here," Claire warned him, doubling her grip on the sword. "I have a feeling that it's not going to like having extra guests."

"But…?" he began before hesitating and sighing. "Alright… but promise me that you won't take any unnecessary chances. We need to get you out of here no matter the cost, you here? I can't being to imagine just how many stories you're going to miss if you die here."

She flashed him a grin before she went towards the portal, knowing that it would take her to where she needed to go.

When she emerged, she was standing upon what looked to be some kind of glass window that was surrounded by a thick black cloud all around her. She looked, feeling the presence of the voidsent all around her, watching her every move.

And then she heard it.

_"Who disturbs the gloom? Ahh, mortals from the realm of light. You have not stumbled here without purpose…"_

She then emerged.

The Cloud of Darkness appears as a green-skinned female humanoid that emerges from a portal of darkness at its waist, though its form appears ghostly and ethereal. It has a red heart-shaped mark on its forehead, and several mouthed tentacles around it as the cloud warped around it to cover parts of her body while her glowing sinister eyes glared down at her.

Claire stared up as the creature observed her.

_"I am the Cloud of Darkness," _the voidsent hissed, _"What I do not smother, I devour. What I cannot devour, I destroy."_

The rest of her body, gargantuan in size, appeared from the dark and her arms with each finger as long as Claire's entire body, tapped upon the ground as the cloud's tongue rolled

_"The covenant is everlasting," _she finished, _"All mortals before the flood of darkness will sink lifeless into the void!"_

"Let's find out," she answered back as she marched forward. Out of all the battles she faced so far in this place, this was, without a doubt, the toughest one. At any time the Cloud could move around the ring and fire a massive laser through the center of the area. When she disappears into the dark, she can reappear somewhere else at any time.

As if that was bad enough, she had to deal with comets falling from above as well as blasts that fell from the sky that chased her around. The blast move to her at great speed, forcing her to sprint to avoid getting hurt from them head on, actually forcing her to run a lap around the outside edge of the ring. But then, as if the Cloud thought she didn't have enough to worry about, giant worm voidsent spawned around her. Good news was that while they added all sorts of complications and attacks that could stun or poison her, they usually disappeared after hitting them once or twice.

_"The void shall consume all that is!"_

The floor was suddenly lit up after the last of the worms disappeared, and puffs of clouds spawned from the darkness. The Cloud of Darkness opened her mouth and was ushering in the clouds to come to her so that she could swallow them. She was as if a being who had not eaten anything in weeks and was resorting to eating what she could to survive. Claire didn't know what was going to happen if she ate them, but she wasn't willing to find out. She went around to each one, trying to dispel as much as the clouds she could before they got to the cloud. While she did miss a few, she did get most of them, and she spun back to the cloud, holding up her shield as she prepared for the worse.

_"Darkness take you all!"_

Her attack after that almost blinded Claire, but though she could feel her armor crack and break under the onslaught of the blast, she gritted her teeth and held on.

_"In darkness, all is as one,"_ she said, _"Be it hope or despair, everything is mine to devour."_

The Cloud was growing more desperate at this point, preparing to hit her with everything at once. Including more puffs of clouds, more lasers from both around the arena and from the sky, and even summoning up more comets. But Claire held on as she glared up at this creature, wondering just where it could have come from and why it was doing what it was doing. Just what was this place? What was the World of Darkness and how did it come to be the way that it was?

Such thoughts could not help but paly inside her head even as she fought for her life. All she could remember were those feelings from before… the anger and sorrow… the grief that came with this place. Everything about this screamed to her of unending sadness and it broke her heart just to stand here and fight.

She wanted to leave. She wanted to escape this world of emptiness that made her feel as if her soul was being crushed.

And so, it was with her last ounce of strength did she run forward and dealt the final blow.

_"You cannot overcome what does not exist!"_ the Cloud of Darkness shrieked, now writhing around in pain, _"Of darkness I am born… and to darkness I shall return!"_

But as Claire prepared for round two… she realized that the Cloud was struggling to hold onto her form and was drifting backwards away from her. She watched as the large being thrashed and twisted. Before fading away into the darkness of the clouds behind her… leaving Claire to stare as the rest of the clouds faded and revealed to her a bright open and beautiful sky filled with stars.

"Incredible," said a voice and she looked back to see G'raha racing towards her. He had stayed true to his promise and had not dared to make a move to step in front of her the whole way and thus managed to make it here with her without a scratch on him. He was staring at her as if she was the most miraculous thing that he had ever seen until he seemed to remember where they were.

He then cast his gaze around, still searching for the others.

"Where in the seven hells are they?!" he asked in worry, "Without them to stem the energy in the tower, our defeat of the Clouds aids our cause little."

But she had no other words to give, having pushed herself so hard this time that she wanted nothing more than to drop there and take a nap. But they were still in a dangerous place and so they had to work fast to find the others… if they were even still…?

"Doga! Unei! Can you hear me?" G'raha called out desperately, but then as if in an afterthought he added, "Nero!"

There was nothing but silence around them. Silence so thick that it made her ears hurt. She was starting to wonder the worst when…?

"Must you be so infernally loud!?" asked an annoyed voice, "Are you so keen to attract more voidsent?"

The two of them spun around, shocked at the voice, when Nero finished, "…Though I don't blame you for missing my company."

It certainly was Nero. And he was with Doga, who looked to be in good spirits, while Nero carried Unei between them.

"Thank the Twelve!" G'raha cried as they hurried forward and Nero was setting Unei down. "Are you all right?"

"As all right as can be expected," Nero reassured him as he stood up, "Unei has simply passed out."

But as Doga knelt down by Unei's side, she was able to get a clear look at Nero and was unable to do anything but stare. Nero was cast in a dark purple light… his entire body looking cracked and encased with some of the purple corrupted crystal that she passed on her way up here. His armor was damaged in places as his eyes, which were wide and glowed with an unusual energy, looked on with that familiar haughty expression.

"Nero, by the gods… what's happened to you?" G'raha gasped, actually taking a step back from him.

"Alas, his wounds were too deep, and allowed this foul place entry to his body," Doga explained from Unei's side, "Now, the darkness claws at the aether of his very form. Would that we could have protected him…" He looked up regretfully at Nero as he added, "The Cloud of Darkness was bound by Xande's unholy covenant to bring prosperity to Allagan Royalty. The same blood that sealed this contract gives us a measure of protection. I say a measure, for this vow does not protect us from the other voidsent. The Cloud imprisoned us here precisely to unleash fiends upon us. We would be dead had Nero not defended us so valiantly."

"Mistake not my actions for kindness," Nero scolded, and it was clear that despite his current—condition—he was not so far gone as to lose his personality in the process. Which was a shame, but she did not dare speak of that. "I have use for you yet in Eorzea, and simply couldn't let harm befall you here."

Just then, they heard Unei groaning as she began to come around, blinking up with confusion at the dark sky above her.

"Wh-Where…?" she whispered in a dazed and lost way.

Doga smiled as he helped her to sit up and reassured her, "Unei! You are safe—our friends have come for us."

He then grinned up at her and G'raha when Unei noticed their presence.

"H-Have they?" she gasped before also smiling, "Then perhaps, Doga, there is yet hope we may fulfill our purpose."

Yes, but they had to hurry. Who knows how much longer the rift would stay open and they had best hurry before anything else came along.

But it seemed that they waited too long already. For the thoughts no sooner appeared in her mind than did the clouds around them began to swarm and block everything out until it looked like they were lost upon a platform in a thundercloud. She could feel anger and pain mixed in with the hatred that lingered in the air and she caught her breath as she realized that the Cloud of Darkness was far from defeated. While she no longer had a physical form… she was still here.

That was when the clouds swarmed in and blocked everything out.

_"Mortals!"_ the Cloud of Darkness cried as Unei got back up, _"You have dared to challenge me, and now must feel my wrath! Did you think to destroy me in my realm? Here, I am eternal! I will smother your light and entomb your bones amongst my shadows!"_

"A-Are we truly so powerless here?" G'raha gasped, voice full of fear as he stared around wildly. Claire was also staring around, searching for the way out when Doga was glaring up at the clouds with a surprisingly calm expression.

"As long as we fight the Cloud in this realm, I fear so," Doga confirmed before shaking his head, "And yet… though we may not be able to destroy it, this may be our chance to stop it. If we strike now whilst the Cloud can barely hold her form, mayhap we can sever Xande's covenant!"

"Yes, and raze the bridge between the Crystal Tower and this foul place once and for all!" Unei agreed, before looking to the rest of them and added, "Claire, G'raha—you must flee!"

What? After all the trouble they went through just to get this far? Not a chance they were going to leave them here to face that thing alone!

"'Tis madness!" G'raha yelled, his tail flaring up furiously at just the thought, "You must return with us! No one but you can save the world from the threat of the Crystal Tower!"

They lowered their heads, knowing that he was right. Claire bit her lip, wanting to yell at them to hurry and leave… but with the Cloud of Darkness now seemingly blocking their way out, how were they to escape? And even if they do, what was to stop this voidsent from continuing on her mad plans of destruction?

What were they to do?

That was when she saw another ball of energy welling up from somewhere within the thick clouds and she gasped, realizing that it was targeting them. She looked up and cried a warning to G'raha, who wasn't even aware that he was in danger… but her warning came too late for the blast of energy was flying towards them. She stared in horror… thinking that it was over for her friend when…?

It was as if the energy hit some sort of invisible bubble that was surrounding G'raha. Though he covered his face and head… the attack didn't even touch him. Her jaw fell open as she stared on, not sure what just happened, but after a quick glance over, she realized that G'raha escaped completely unharmed.

"What…?" she croaked as G'raha was now looking over his body, his eyes wide and looking just as stunned as she felt.

_"What is this trickery?"_ the Cloud of Darkness shrieked in fury, and now Claire could feel the fear was mixed in with those feelings of loathing. _"…Your blood! You too gained protection from Xande's blood!"_

The two of them stared at each other, almost unwilling to believe that just happened.

"G'raha Tia…" Unei said quickly, getting their attention, "You are possessed of royal blood! That is why the Royal Eye runs in your line! 'Tis a gift you have inherited. G'raha—you have been granted authority over the Crystal Tower!"

This time, it was Claire's turn to stare at G'raha in wonder—while the Miqo'te looked as if someone could knock him over with a feather at this news.

"…I had thought time would consume all of Allag that was," Doga said in awe, "That a man should still live with his forebears' blood in this age can be no coincidence. Some person must have planted this gift in your line, and used the highest of Allagan technology to do so. True, the Crystal Tower is not like to recognize you as Allagan, not as you are now. But your Royal Eye bespeaks a simple truth: within you dwells one feeble glitter that will illuminate all, the light of hope!"

"But…" G'raha gasped, now so confused he was unable to come up with anything clever to say, "How should I sue this light? Pray, tell me!"

Even if he did have royal blood, according to the two of them, the blood was not strong enough for the tower to recognize him as an Allagan. But it seemed that Doga and Unei held the answer for that as well. Unei held up her hand where Claire saw a feeble ray of red light rise up from out of her skin and hovered above her palm as it glowed with a crimson hue.

"You must gain control of the Crystal Tower," she instructed him, "We will share our blood with you, G'raha. Though its effects will be but ephemeral, it will bolster the Allagan presence within you."

Doga copied her movements so that he also held a crimson speck in his hands.

"This is our gift to you, that you may fulfill your destiny," he told him kindly, "All with the Royal Eye are bound by fate to Allag. Our part in this journey is to bury Xande's dark ambitions in the past. This was the true Unei and Doga's purpose, one we have carried into the future. Know that as long as this light of hope survives in you, our souls will still remain—even if our bodies are lost."

And this was it? They would give G'raha the means he needs to seal the tower away but leave themselves here to die? She didn't want that. She didn't want to see that happen after coming all this way. But at this point, what else could she do?

So she watched on as the two specks of light came together until they were glowing… the only real trace of light they had in this dark place. She stood back and watched in silence as the light floated towards G'raha, who hesitated for a moment as he looked to them both nervously. But when he saw their smiles of encouragement, he knew that he was making the right choice and reached out to grasp the light brightly.

As soon as it touched him she could see the aether flowing through his body… changing it from how it was before so that she could all but feel the pulsations of change running through his veins now. She stared on as he opened his eyes and she saw that both of them were now the same bright ruby color as their friends.

With that done, Doga took a deep breath as he turned to Nero.

"You must leave us as well, Nero," Doga ordered calmly but kindly to him as well, "I am sorry we could not live up to your expectations."

"I must return to you what is yours, though," Unei added as she pulled something from her pocket and held it out to him. Claire looked to see that it was that same energy-reading device that he had in the tower before they were sucked in here, and he seemed surprised to see that she had held onto it for him. Unei only smiled as she told him, "You dropped it whilst defending us."

But her smile faded a little as she explained, "What you seek by this instrument may not be possible, Nero. But do not give up. There are many other paths that await you."

"Of course they do," Nero grumbled, now looking completely put out as he took the device back.

That was all that needed to be said… this they all knew. But now that the moment had come, she had found her feet did not wish to move. She did not just want to abandon them here. She opened her mouth, ready to argue, but fell silent when the two looked at her, as if knowing what she was thinking.

She recognized that look… their minds were set and nothing that she said or did was going to get them to change it. They knew what they were doing and it was what they wanted… she had to accept it even if she didn't like it.

"Doga, Unei, I…" G'raha began, his voice choked up as if he had something caught in his throat. But rather than waste his time trying to talk them out of something that they already decided upon, he instead said to them both, "Thank you. We shall never forget you. Now, Claire, Nero, let us quit this place."

And after taking one last look at them both… one last hard look… the three of them ran for it.

_"You shall not escape me, impudent children of light!"_ the Cloud of Darkness shrieked as more spots of energy appeared. They ducked and weaved as the blasts of power came hurtling at them; but all they could do was run and hope that the Cloud would miss them.

"No, you shall not escape us," she heard Unei yell behind them, "Here, Xande's bloodstained reams of glory end."

They broke through the clouds that surrounded them and she felt herself falling forward. She gasped until she felt her feet touch down where she battled against Cerberus, and she dashed forward. They should be good from this point on… for she had already taken the care to kill everything on her way up this far. The way back to the exit should be clear for them. And indeed it was… aside from the shrieks of fury from the Cloud of Darkness behind them, there was nothing but the sounds of their own footfalls as they raced onwards.

She looked around into the dark spaces between them and she could feel more voidsent flying in their direction; being called by the Cloud of Darkness. If they didn't get out now they would soon be overrun—but thankfully the rest of the way back remained clear for them until she could see the starting point… connected by another bridge of dark light.

"There!" she called, knowing that they were almost there—and when she strained her eyes, she could see the twinkle of light in the distance—the way out.

They hit the walkway as more shrieks could be heard far behind them and she began to sprint with G'raha right at her side. The further they dashed, the larger the light began to glow until it was almost blinding.

"There!" G'raha yelled, "The glint of light!"

Yet their relief was quickly fading when she realized that the light was starting to flicker and grow smaller.

"What's…?" she cried, startled at this.

"It… it grows faint!" G'raha yelled anxiously, "Then the bridge between realms grows fragile by the covenant's annulment! If that light dies, we are stranded here! Hurry!"

He didn't need to tell her twice, she had no intention of becoming trapped here.

She put on an extra burst of speed and ran pass G'raha… but it was only a few seconds before she realized that it was because he had stopped and she spun around to see what had caused that. That was when she realized that Nero had fallen far behind them, now panting on his knees.

"Nero, no! You must move!" G'raha yelled at him.

But based on the pain in his face, Claire doubted that would be an easy task. Nero was exhausted and injured… just making it this far was painful. She was in a mind to go back and see if she could help him move when…?

"Leave me!" he barked back, refusing anymore help, "I don't need you! If I die here, it'll be because I bloody well decided to! I failed to master darkness. I'll not suffer watching a green boy master the tower."

He then began to wheeze, as if breathing was becoming painful, and he then snapped out proudly, "Do what you will with it. But remember me, son of Allag! I am Nero tol Scaeva, the man who'll yet outdo Allag and Garlond!"

"That was what you hoped to—" G'raha said before he gasped and his hand was at his head again.

"G'raha…" she said worriedly, ready to drag him back with her if his eye was causing him trouble.

"Go, damn you!" Nero yelled.

With no other choice, she nodded, turning back to the realm of light with G'raha at her heels. She could see the door still wide open for them and she charged, forcing her exhausted body to keep on running. Her muscles were screaming at this point and her mind was feeling oddly cloudy… but she could feel the warmth of sunlight on her face as she closed her eyes and jumped right through the portal of light… and blacked out.

She wasn't out for long though… she soon found herself blinking in confusion as she looked to the bright orange and red sky above her, signaling the arrival of sunset.

"Claire?" said a worried voice. She blinked again and looked over to realize she was lying on her back upon a crystal floor and with the worried expression of G'raha kneeling at her side. She blinked once more as her head was cleared of the fog that took over before and she forced herself to sit up, fighting the plea for more sleep from her body. She stared around to realize that they were far from alone… they were surrounded on all sides by the NOAH researchers, Ironwork, Rammbroes and all the others… all of them staring at them as if they could not believe their eyes.

"You are returned unharmed, thank the gods!" Rammbroes cried out in joy as she slowly managed to get back to her feet, letting out a sigh of relief when she recognized where they were—at the top of the Crystal Tower… safe and…?

"When that voidgate started to close… I had never felt so powerless in all my life!" Wedge cried out, actually sounding close to sobbing in relief.

"We were running about like madmen, trying to keep the gate open—and then the chief actually went and dived in!" Biggs added, and Claire looked around, worried that they lost Cid—only to sigh in relief when she saw that he was off to the side. And with Nero?!

Well, judging from the annoyed look in Nero's face… she didn't have to guess who it had been who pulled him back out into the land of light. And with no sign of the rift in sight, knew suspected that it must have been just in the nick of time.

"But if you're all sa—Hm?" Biggs said, his voice dying in his throat as he looked to the three of them, not needing to do a head count to realize that there were two members short. "Wh-Where are Unei and Doga? They're not…?"

Claire felt her heart ache at the thought of leaving the two of them behind and she closed her eyes tightly for a moment as she gave a silent 'thank you' to the two of them before she gazed at G'raha, how nodded encouragingly. And so she told them the basic story of how the two chose to stay behind to give them the time they needed to escape.

Everyone stared at them in shock, unable to believe what they heard. When she finished, she saw how Rammbroes lower his head mournfully.

"…I see," he said sadly, "I will miss the two of them dearly, but I am happy they fulfilled their purpose. We who live on must still attend to the Crystal Tower… though we now have no one able to seal it."

"That is not true, my friend," G'raha countered, brushing the bangs from his face so that no one could miss his eyes, "Unei and Doga have entrusted me with their blood. I can now control the Crystal Tower."

"G'raha… Yes, I can see it in your eyes," Rammbroes cried, shocked at this news. "Good. Then let us put an end to this, and seal away the tower."

At that, there were cheers all around them. Though it had not ended like how they hoped, they had managed to escape the World of Darkness with the means they need to close off the Crystal Tower and the threat that it poses for them all. But G'raha was shaking his head wearily as he tried to calm everyone down.

"I understand your instinct, Rammbores, but please, give us a moment to rest," G'raha sighed, "I am weary to the bone, and Nero and Claire are both emerged from long battle."

That, indeed, sounded like a good plan to her. She could feel the pieces of metal upon her armor crack and knew that parts had come lose. This armor was a lost cause, but she had miraculously avoided any serious injuries and made plans to replace her gear when she next passed through Revenant Toll.

"Of course, of course, you have the right of it," Rammbroes said agreeably, looking over all three of them, "Come, we shall leave this place for a spell, and repair to Saint Coinach's Find."

And so he began to order everyone out, informing them that they were to make plans to seal the tower once everyone was out safe and see if there were any other artifacts that they could examine before that happened.

Everyone began to file away from the throne, heading towards the exit. Claire was tired and so was having a hard time getting her body to obey at that moment. Instead, she was content to watch everyone leave until she realized that it was just her and G'raha.

They turned to look at each other and she realized how strange it was to see both of his eyes that bright red color now. But he was still smiling and there was an odd new sense of peace that seemed to radiate from his eyes—as if he found the answer to a difficult question.

"No one but you could have succeeded in the World of Darkness, Claire…" he informed her before looking down, as if embarrassed, "Would that I could have been of more use beyond the rift. As it stands, I was but a vessel for Doga and Unei's blood…"

He gave himself too little credit. Not many people would have been willing to charge right into the World of Darkness like that. While he didn't do much fighting, he still had an important role to play here with the rest of NOAH. That was when she remembered something…?

"Did you remember?" she asked him suddenly, "That thing you wished to recall?"

"Hm?" he asked, smiling again, "Have I remembered what I wished to?"

And when she nodded, there was a rather mischievous look in his face as he nodded.

"…Yes, something has come back to me," he informed her, "Gaining royal blood and witnessing true bravery has reminded me of my forbearers' dearest wish. But we need not speak of these things now. It was not my place to keep you. Pray go on ahead of me; there is something small I would do before I return."

"You sure?" she asked, but he was still grinning as he held out his hand, silently telling her to go on ahead of him.

She just nodded, feeling the exhaustion settle in.

"I'll meet you back at the Find," she informed him as she walked off, now thinking of the food and blankets that would be waiting for her.

So tired that she was, she didn't notice the strange look that G'raha was giving her as he watched her leave. He just stood there, watching sadly as she continued on forward, her armor now cracked and damaged, but only making her look even more formidable and impressive in his eyes.

He sighed as he said quietly, knowing that no one could hear him now, "I could not have asked for a better comrade. If only I could have been a part of your adventurers for longer, Claire… Alas, fate dictates I have a different role to play. A wish hidden for millennia, and brought to light by the good people of NOAH…" He smiled as he folded his arms, fully aware of what must be done. Though he would miss his new friends here with NOAH, he was finally aware of his destiny and where he belonged.

"Now, finally, 'tis my time to see it realized," he vowed to himself. So many sacrifices had been made for him and so many others… now was the time that he stepped up and did his part.


	6. The Light of Hope

**Chapter 6: The Light of Hope**

Claire was actually glad to find her steps carrying her back to the Find where there was a bowl of hot stew waiting for her. She gratefully accepted it from one of the researchers, swallowing half of it in a couple of gulps. When she emerged for air though, her amour all but cracked apart and she retreated into the privacy of a nearby tent so that she could change. Leaving her practically destroyed gear on the ground, she pulled out some light robes from her bag instead, feeling comfortable with the familiar weight of a staff upon her back before stepping outside.

But at that moment, Rammbroes had appeared across the camp, his smile wide even from this distance as he went over to greet her.

"I cannot express how glad I am you returned safely, Claire—and with the means to dispel the threat of the Crystal Tower for good!" Rammbroes said happily. "Rest if you will, and then let us free ourselves from the specter of the Allagans!"

She nodded gratefully as she was passed half a loaf of bread and she dunked it into a refill of stew. When she finished filling her stomach, she felt mostly recovered, and was now thinking longingly of a soft bed for the night.

When she next approached Rammbroes, he beamed at her before informing her that now was as any good a time to seal the tower.

"But there is something we must do first," he said, "Let me summon the others, and hear in full what happened beyond the rift."

She figured that they would want a full explanation and wearily agreed, knowing that they deserved to know of Doga's and Unei's sacrifice. Still, she thought that G'raha would told them of everything that happened by now—she was sure that he could do a better job of explaining it in detail. Shrugging, she waited for Cid, Biggs, and Wedge all appeared before she recounted with as much detail as she could. Starting by what kind of place the World of Darkness was, the types of creatures that were waiting for her, and ended it by how Doga and Unei had given G'raha a gift of their blood to fully awaken the Allagan blood in his veins before they stayed behind to deal with the Cloud of Darkness once and for all.

"…So the Allgan Eye that runs in G'raha's line does mean that royal blood flows in his veins," Rammbroes summed up with a sage nod. "I suppose it is not so odd to think his forebears gained it via ancient technology. But who imbued his family with the blood, and for what purpose?"

Of that, she had no idea. But after seeing just a glimpse of the kind of technology that Allag could do, it did not surprise her in the least that they could give their blood to another.

"Mayhap all this was fate, from discovering the tower to G'raha gaining Unei and Doga's blood," Rammbroes said as he thought it all over.

"Has G'raha said anything?" Biggs asked suddenly, "For that matter, where is G'raha? And what of Nero?"

"I'm not sure about our resident historian, but Nero left the tower with me," Cid answered without much concern, "Where he's vanished to since, I cannot say. But knowing him as I do, I don't believe he'll scheme against us for the time being." He thought it over for a moment before adding as if in an afterthought, "…Though he is still Nero."

"Claire, you say G'raha stayed behind at the Crystal Tower?" Rammbroes suggested suddenly, causing her to look over at him, "I wonder if he even now prepares to seal the place off."

She had no idea, but she knew how hard it would be for him to seal it off after coming so far. She knew that he must still have questions that needed answering, but she supposed that this was something that could not be helped. She opened her mouth to reply when…?

"Master Rammbroes! Master Rammbroes!"

They looked up to see one of the researchers charge over to them.

"'Tis G'raha Tia, sir!" she cried, doubled over for air as she skidded to a stop in front of them, "He came into the Crystal Tower, and began ordering researchers out!"

He was what? She knew that time was of the essence, but she didn't think that he would be sealing it off so suddenly? What if someone was left inside?

"What?" Rammbroes demanded, "Why would he do such a thing?"

"I do not know, sir, but he was quite insistent," she said, catching her breath, "He all but bodily forced me out of the gates. I suppose it's possible he told one of the others, but I wasted no time in finding out. I thought it best to hasten here and ask your guidance."

That didn't sound like G'raha at all. He wasn't the type who would mistreat a lady like that unless it was important. Claire suddenly felt this foreboding sense of dread rising up inside her.

"Very well," Rammbroes answered with a nod, "Lets us go and speak with these researchers, and get to the bottom of this queer business." He looked to her, Cid, and the others as he added, "Master Garlond, Claire, please come with me. No doubt G'raha means to seal off the Crystal Tower, but it worries me that he did not breathe a word of his plan to us."

They hurried out of the encampment as they raced their way back towards the Crystal Tower. All the while, Claire could not help but fear that something else had happened… that there was another hole of the rift and voidsent were flooding out… that was just one of many worries that were sprinting through her mind.

She was the first to reach the gates, surprised to find that the researcher on guard was muttering furiously to himself as he said, "What in the world was G'raha Tia thinking, demanding we leave the tower?"

When she asked them what was going on, their answer was, "No doubt you want to know why. I wish I knew that myself. Of course, he would tell me nothing. But he will be honest with you, miss—I am certain of it!"

Why did they think that? Sure, she liked to think that they were friends, but why did they assume that he would tell her anything if he won't even tell Rammbroes or Cid?

But when the others caught up, they were able to press onwards through the empty Labyrinth and to the base of the tower, where she was glad to see the doors were still wide open. She had thought that G'raha would be at the top, but she got a surprise when she heard his voice call out form the doorway, "Go no further, my friends!"

They all stopped dead until they saw the red-haired Miqo'te suddenly appear from the upper levels, smiling warmly at the sight of them as he added, "The doors will close ere long."

Well, he certainly looked like he was well; causing her to sigh in relief, glad to see that everything seemed to be alright. She was in half a mind to give him a telling off for making her worry.

"So you are of a mind to seal the tower, G'raha," Rammbroes said, also sounding relieved, as G'raha slowly approached but stopped before he reached the doorway. "I know time is of the essence, but all I ask is a hint of your plan. Please, come here so we can discuss this."

But G'raha just looked on with that fond look on his face, a strange look in his ruby eyes as he looked over each of them.

"…No," he said kindly, as if merely refusing an offer to go to a tavern for a drink with them, "My apologies, but I cannot."

"Come, man, what is this nonsense!?" Rammbroes demanded, now sounding mad as the rest of them looked on in surprise, "If aught is amiss, surely we can help!"

"Not this time, my friend," G'raha answered back, still just as calmly, "Just as Unei and Doga fulfilled their destiny, so too must I fulfill mine. My blood has awakened me to this fact. As my father told me, the truth has always lain with Allag. Or, rather, 'twas there the wish I must grant was born."

She blinked, not sure she understood what he was talking about. But he then turned around so that he could continue to examine the interior of the tower as he went on speaking.

"You see, not all the world perished in Xande's calamity," he revealed to them, "Survivors stood amidst the ruins of Allag, looking to the Crystal Tower. But it was nowhere to be seen. Yet they hoped its spires would again dominate the land, and prayed that the Crystal Tower would be a beacon of hope to people everywhere."

She could understand that. This tower once served to inspire others… to create in them the urge to explore and discover… perhaps that was what the people from back then looked for. A symbol of hope.

"Word of this soon reached the only member of Allag's royalty to outlive the empire: the princess Salina," G'raha then explained, "Salina was moved by the people's dearest wish. She used the very best of Allag's technology to give her blood and memories to he whom she trusted most. That man was my forbearer."

G'raha then looked at his hand as he finished, "For millennia, we waited. Allag's art and ingenuity faded. Our royal blood grew thin. But before the last drop could vanish from the realm, the memory of all this returned to me. And now, I must fulfill the wish of the ancients. The tower will shine forth as a new beacon of hope."

"G'raha, the Crystal Tower's strength poses too great a threat to Eorzea now," Cid tried to reason, "We would need technology as advanced as Allag's to use it correctly. As things stand, we barely understand the tower's workings. Hells, we may never fully comprehend them."

That was also true. The world wasn't ready yet for the Crystal Tower to shine forth just yet. But that wasn't what G'raha was planning.

"'Tis as you say, Cid," G'raha answered, his back still to them all, "We could wait for someone, someday, to reach the same heights as Allag, but by then we will have lost the royal blood and the means to control the tower. But what if I do as Xande did, and put the tower into a deep sleep?"

Now it was all adding up in her mind. In fact, she was starting to see where this conversation was going and she did not like it. She looked down for a moment, not the least bit surprised to learn that this was the outcome that G'raha had come to.

"What!?" Cid demanded, "You cannot mean that!"

G'raha turned back, and she could see it in his eyes that he had never been more serious than he was right now. After all, it was the same look he had when he begged that he come with her right into the World of Darkness… the same look that shone in Doga's and Unei's eyes when they insisted on staying behind. Nothing she said was going to change his mind… but this time she wasn't going to be able to help him with this mission.

"I am deadly serious, Cid," he answered with a firm nod, "The tower may only be used once men rival the Allagans in knowledge. I will slumber within Syrcus Tower until then, to greet those with the means to open the gates. Then, I will guide them. And thus will the tower shine forth as the beacon of hope it was meant to be. 'Tis the only way to make the wishes of the ancients come true."

She looked on as she felt a deep sadness in her heart and G'raha closed his eyes.

"The future is where my destiny awaits," he responded calmly.

She wanted to tell him otherwise, but at the same time, she doubted anything she could say could dissuade him from this course. He would go inside the tower and sleep inside it until the day came that it would be needed. He knew where his path was going to go and he was prepared to wait for however long it took.

But when he next looked at them all and smiled, his eyes just shining a little brighter when his met hers. "But yours lies outside of these doors. Go. Create a future where hope reigns, and the tragedies of the past are but memories. No one but you can accomplish such things."

There was silence as they all processed what he was telling them.

"Nothing we say will make you change your mind, will it?" Cid asked. He wasn't asking because he wanted an answer, for he already knew what it would be before G'raha even nodded his head.

Cid took a deep breath and said with as much cheer as he could muster, "Onwards to a brighter future… it won't be easy, of course. But that's exactly why we'll do it!"

And with that, no one else seemed to have any other objections—or be able to come up with a good argument. Perhaps they all knew that they would just be wasting their breath trying to convince someone whose mind was already made up.

"W-Well catch up with Allag, you just wait!" Wedge promised shakily, "We'll cover all that lost ground before you even know it!"

"Well said, Wedge!" Biggs agreed as he pointed at G'raha and added, "It'll only be a few years before we come knocking, G'raha. Then you're in for a rude awakening!"

G'raha just grinned, as if he was looking forward to that.

"You shall be witness to NOAH's accomplishments," Rammbroes added bravely, but he was looking oddly choked up at the thought of saying goodbye, especially so suddenly, "Pray keep alive our successes, and forgive us our failures. And may we meet again, my friend."

But the odds of them actually being able to meet again were all but impossible at this point. Claire was aware of this. Even with having the Ironworks at their side, she didn't think that they would reach the same heights of Allag in this lifetime… as she looked up at the tower she could not help but wonder just how many years it would be before the doors would next open? A hundred years? Five hundred? Or maybe even further into the future than she could possibly imagine. She wondered what the world would look like when it did…?

She hoped that G'raha would awaken to a beautiful landscape by the time he next emerged from the tower.

"The Twelve keep you till then, Rammbroes," G'raha said, "I look forward to learning of your exploits."

But then G'raha looked directly at her and his words were meant for her alone as he told her, "And you, Claire—I know history will remember you. No doubt your heroism will be the star by which I chart my course when I awake."

She doubted that she would be remembered that well into the future, but she smiled as she wished for him, "Pleasant dreams, G'raha Tia."

He grinned back as he finished, "Well, now I must rest. Recalling so much as put me in the mood for sleep. Farewell, my friends. I eagerly await a future born of your courage and the ancients' wish."

He looked up as if telling the tower once more before he turned and walked inside. As he walked on, she could see him turn his head slightly, as if fighting the urge to look back. Perhaps she was just imagining it… but she could not help but have this strange feeling that he was looking directly back at her?

But she did not dare blink until she saw the doors slowly come together before they shut with a solid clang. She gazed up at the grand doors as they glowed for a brief moment… and then faded away, signaling that it was, once again, sealed away from the rest of the world.

It was harder than she thought it would be to say goodbye to her friend. Though she didn't know him nearly as long as she would have liked to; she was going to miss his playful nature and easy-going grin… but she hoped that when he did next awoke, he would be in a new world and make new friends.

Until then, she wished him the best of dreams. She turned to the others and they all agreed that there was nothing else to do here. They left the tower behind, discussing what they were to do now that the expedition was over.

"Well, it's not over completely," Rammbroes said. "After all, we still have the Labyrinth of the Ancients still open to us. I think that we can still learn much about it. We need to record everything now so that when G'raha wakes up, he'll see that we weren't slacking off!"

That caused some laughter from each of them as they returned to the Find to speak with everyone else and explained the situation. Most were mostly astonished to hear what G'raha had done… but there was one who cried out, "What? So there's no way to get back inside? I left some of my equipment in there!"

"Then you better get to work if you ever want to open the front doors and get it back," Cid told him and suddenly everyone was laughing at the flustered researcher.

As the others all discussed their plans for the near future, she turned her head towards the tower and became lost in thoughts… she stared at the tower that was shining almost innocently in the distance. From that moment onwards, she knew she would not be able to look at the tower without being reminded of her adventures through it. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not… but though she wasn't happy with the outcome, she found an oddly peaceful sensation going through her at the memories.

She blinked… and suddenly she was at the base of the tower once again… where she first learned of Doga and Unei's origins… where G'raha once begged to go with her into the heart of darkness. But this time it was Nero was there, gazing up at the tower with a rather disinterested look on his face.

"The Crystal Tower slumbers again, then," Nero sighed, "'Tis too quiet for my taste."

He then looked down at the device for a moment and she could see the confusion that had been in his eyes faded as a rather ironic smile spread across his face.

"Good-bye, Cid," he said at last as his eyes opened back up and he seemed to found whatever answer he was looking for, "I must put all this at my back. Possibility beckons, and I am bound to follow."

And as if he was just skipping a rock across a lake, he tossed the reader into the ravine… watching it disappear through the thick clouds that blocked out the view of the bottom. Nero just shrugged as he sighed to himself, "A new dawn has come for me."

A new dawn…

And he turned and walked away… leaving her alone when she heard the echoing sounds of the device beginning to ring out across the chasm below her. She looked over the ledge, trying to see something down there… only for her to blink once more and she was suddenly back inside the tower.

What was going on?

She stared around, startled at what was happening when she heard a chuckle. G'raha was there as he bent down and picked something off the ground. His back was to her as he held up the fallen item and she saw that he was now twirling a flower about in his long fingers.

"Guess she dropped this," he said to himself and she could hear the slightly sad tone in his voice as he looked down at it. "My friend… I wish you safe travels on all your future adventures. I only wish I could be there to witness you return triumphantly from them."

"G'raha?" she whispered as he admired the flower, continuing to twirl the stem as he watched the petals spin—and her hand went up to her head to realize it was the same flower that he had given her. She had worn it in her hair up till then because she saw how happy it had made him… she had forgotten all about it… it must have fallen out before her adventurer in the World of Darkness…?

"I look forward to hearing your many stories when I awaken," she heard him say to himself again—as if not even aware that she was right behind him. And when he turned around, she caught a glimpse of his ruby red eyes staring right into her own… and then…?

Claire's eyes opened as she sat up upon her sleeping roll as she stared around, wondering just what was going on. She blinked, breathing hard, trying to figure out where the crystal all went. Instead of the diamond-like crystal of the tower… she was started to see stalks of bamboo and heard the cheerful chirps of some songbirds. She blinked, unable to find even a trace of crystal around her as she tried to remember where she was.

Well, the bamboo kinda of brought her back to reality. That's right, she was continuing on her journey across the Far East… she had been making her way across the lands of Yanxia when it had started to rain… she stopped amidst some of the ruins that were scattered across the land so that she could rest for the night. She must have been more tired than she first though… for it hadn't been that late when she went to rest… and judging from the brilliant sun shining overhead, it must be around noon. She rubbed her eyes, suddenly finding them very painful as her dream continued to play themselves in her mind.

It had been a long time since she last slept in so late and she could only assume that the previous weeks of nightmares had finally caught up to her. She stood up, climbing her way back out of the ruins as she looked around at the beautiful day. But as she stood and stretched, the images of the dream were so clear that it was truly as if she had relived them all and she looked around once more.

She ran a hand through her hair wearily… pausing when she felt something entangled in the short locks. And when she pulled the pieces out, she realized that they were flower petals…? Which was strange because this part of Yanxia was devoid of flowers at the moment.

"Was that… the past?" she whispered softly to herself, not sure what to think, "His… or mine?"

**(And so now we come to the end of another short story. I hope that everyone enjoyed this little blast from the past. I never planned to write about the Crystal Tower series, but with the story I have planned for Shadowbringers, it was important to go through the events of the tower first. Anyway it has now been one month since the release of 5.0 and so I feel that it is a good time to finally get the Shadowbringers story posted without worrying about as much about spoiling the game for other people. Again though, there will be major spoilers throughout the story and so if you haven't finished the game, I suggest you wait to read it until you are done if you don't want the ending ruined for you. The first chapter for the next part of the series is almost done and I hope that everyone will be looking forward to what I have planned. There will be a lot of tears and inner conflict, a lot of pain and sacrifice… and especially a lot of soul-searching and heartache that will make the characters question everything they thought they knew. I was hoping to get the first chapter up this weekend, but I recently moved up to full time at work in real life and will be working weekends from on. But I do have a release date of when the next story for Claire and her continuing adventures will be going up. I promise that the first chapter will be going up this upcoming Tuesday, August 6th so I hope that you will all be looking forward to it and what my twisted mind has come up with. Anyway, that's it for now, thank you all for all your reviews and support, it means so much to me and it keeps me going. I hope to see you all again soon in game!)**


	7. NEW STORY!

Hello everyone! Welcome back to another chapter! Or rather, just an Author's Note. But this is an important one! For at long last, I finished the first chapter for the next part of Claire's journey throughout the world of Final Fantasy 14! She's back and ready to head off to the world of the First not only to find her lost companions, but to save a world that is on the brink of falling to light! All the while she will be having her own inner demons to be facing, and I don't just mean the Sin Eaters waiting to devour her aether. It's bound to be the most exciting ride yet as she not only travels deep into the ancient past for a chance to save the future, but perhaps evening having to come to grips with who she is as a person.

The next adventure continues in... **Bringer of Nightfall!**


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